A surprised Chadd Sayers is in line for a Test debut in hometown Adelaide with Australian selectors appearing to put their allrounder search on hold for the Ashes.
The South Australian swing king looked well down the pecking order when he missed out on a four-strong Test fast bowlers' training camp in Brisbane this week.
However Sayers not only made the 13-strong Australian squad for the first two Ashes clashes, he is set to finally earn a baggy green in next month's day-night second Test after selectors overlooked an allrounder.
Incumbent allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Hilton Cartwright were dumped, with selectors opting for six batsmen.
There is a question mark over whether speedsters Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins can be nursed through all five Ashes Tests.
Injury-plagued Cummins only played back to back Tests for the first time in September's Bangladesh tour and Hazlewood is returning from a side strain.
With no respite in the bowling load in sight from an allrounder, it appears likely that one of the quicks will be rested in Adelaide opening the door for pink ball specialist Sayers.
"Chadd's inclusion in the squad is with a view to the Adelaide Test and the conditions that we may see there," national chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said.
"He swings the ball with good control and knows the conditions well at his home ground.
"He gives us this bowling option if required."
Last year's Sheffield Shield leading wicket-taker, Sayers, 30, has claimed 87 victims at 20.30 at Adelaide.
Sayers was not getting too carried away after being 12th man last summer against South Africa and Pakistan.
"It was a little bit surprising. With the four quicks that were pulled out of this Shield round, I didn't think I would be a sniff to be honest," said Sayers, who has taken 14 Shield wickets at 25.07 this summer.
"So I am just going to take it all in and can't wait to get over with the squad and if it does happen it would be a dream come true."
Hohns said Maxwell and Cartwright were considered for the Ashes squad but Shield form dictated that they went with recalled veteran Shaun Marsh at No.6.
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