Aussie selectors face two key changes

After sticking with the same XI for the first two Commonwealth Bank Tests of the summer, Australia's selectors will be forced to make two changes for the historic day-night Test in 10 days' time.

Usman Khawaja is set to miss the next two Tests with a hamstring strain he suffered while pursuing a ball late on day two of the second Test, a day after compiling his second-straight Test hundred.

And now the National Selection Panel will have to replace spearhead Mitchell Johnson following the veteran's immediate retirement from international cricket today. 

WATCH: Johnson announces retirement 

Australia's 12th man for the opening two Tests, Peter Siddle, is the firming favourite to take Johnson's spot.

"Obviously, the disappointment of missing out on the first two, it's been a bit hard, especially after how I came back over in England (at The Oval)," Siddle said.

"So I get everything right and be ready to go and that's all I can do.

"It will be no different next week that I will do the same preparation, I will work hard and hopefully my chance does come."

Australia’s limited-overs allrounder Shane Watson has backed Siddle to return to the Test XI alongside Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood at the Adelaide Oval on November 27.

"I'd love for Sidds to get another chance, he's got a lot of Test cricket left in him," Watson told cricket.com.au

"You don't have to bowl 150kph to be a very skilful and very effective Test bowler.

"We saw that at The Oval. I'd love to see Siddle get a good crack at it now because he's still got a lot of very good cricket in front of him.”

Watson says Australia's fast bowling stocks are deep, but concedes replacing the resilient Johnson will be no easy feat.

"There's a number of very talented young guys – James Pattinson when he's fit and firing is a world-class bowler, and Pat Cummins, when he's injury free is as good as we've got there and as good as there is in the world as young bowling talent," he said.

"The challenge now is with so much cricket around, and will continue to be that way, it will continue to show how resilient Mitch (Johnson) has been.

"It's like he's built out of stone. He's bowled so many balls at high speed for such a long period of time because he's so incredibly resilient.

"It's going to be tough for anyone to be able to match what he's able to do." 

WATCH: Siddle takes six in Test return at The Oval

While Siddle is the front-runner, he says Bushrangers teammate Pattinson could be his biggest threat.

Western Australia held strong to escape their Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria at the MCG today, and both Siddle and Warriors coach Justin Langer liked what they saw of Pattinson.

"He bowled beautifully in this match," Siddle said.

"It shows where he's at - he's comfortable with his action now.

"He's fit and strong, he's bowling well and he'd be keen to get an opportunity again.

"Who gets the opportunity, we'll wait and see."

While Langer applauded Pattinson's effort, he also endorsed Siddle's return to the Test team.

"He (Pattinson) just looks so fit and strong," Langer said.

"We know he's a game breaker.

"Peter Siddle deserves to play ... I'm sure those two will have to come into consideration."

Dan Marsh, the Tasmanian Tigers coach, has thrown another hat in the ring, saying his premier fast bowler Jackson Bird has recaptured the form that won him a Test call-up in 2012.

Bird claimed match figures of 5-72 against the NSW Blues in their 223 run Sheffield Shield in Bankstown this week. 

"I think he's back to where he was when he was selected for Australia," Marsh said.

"He's had some injuries over the last two years but he's overcome them and bowling really well.

"Going forward, if he did get selected for Australia, he wouldn't let anyone down."

As for Khawaja's replacement, former Australia opening batsman Chris Rogers would like the selectors to pick young Western Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft.

Bancroft was selected for the aborted tour of Bangladesh, and while Rogers wouldn’t mind if the NSP chose veteran Michael Klinger, he says the Warriors opener should get first crack.

"It's hard to say," Rogers told cricket.com.au on who should replace Khawaja for the third Test. "If they (NSP) are keeping this pecking order, (Cameron) Bancroft was on the last tour (the cancelled tour to Bangladesh), so he may get chosen.

"I wouldn’t be disappointed if (Michael) Klinger got a go.

"But I think with the situation they're in (the selectors), I reckon they should pick Bancroft, especially considering how well the young guys (Joe Burns and Khawaja) have performed (in the first two Tests)."