Steve Waugh's bolter for Indian tour

Steve Waugh says Australia should stick with wicketkeeper Matthew Wade for the upcoming Test tour of India while he also believes national selectors should consider taking Victorian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed to the subcontinent.

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While Wade is expected to travel to India despite a recent run of outs with the bat, the spin-bowling attack Australia will take to the subcontinent is still unclear.

Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe and Ashton Agar were included in a 13-man squad for the Sydney Test, with Agar missing out in the final XI.

Skipper Steve Smith said the trio were brought into camp to train together, an indication the selectors are perhaps leaning that way for the four-Test tour starting in late February in Pune.

However, Waugh says leg-spinner Ahmed could succeed in the subcontinent.

The 34-year-old was born in Pakistan but gained Australian citizenship on the eve of the 2013 Ashes and, while he didn’t make the Test squad for that series, made his international debut in a Twenty20 clash against England in August that year.

Ahmed has been the Sheffield Shield's most prolific spin bowler in the past three seasons with 75 wickets at 27.89, and he was rewarded with selection in Australia’s Test squads for the tour of the Caribbean and the Ashes in 2015.

He failed to make his debut that year and has since fallen out of Test calculations, while he's also lost his spot in Victoria's Shield side to left-armer Jon Holland.

But Waugh believes it’s time for the leggie to be given a ticket to India, along with allrounder Agar, although he concedes Ahmed is a long shot.

"Agar, he’s a huge talent and did well in his first Test match (in 2013),” Waugh told cricket.com.au.

"He says he’s an allrounder so he’ll add something to (the squad).

"Someone like Fawad Ahmed I’d like to see in the picture but he doesn’t seem to get a mention.

"I think he could do really well on Indian pitches but he seems to be a fair way out of calculation."

Wade replaced Peter Nevill for the final Test against South Africa last November after the incumbent ‘keeper averaged just 22.29 in 17 matches since taking over from Brad Haddin at Lord’s in the 2015 Ashes, despite being widely regarded as the country’s finest gloveman.

Wade’s superior batting ability – he’s scored two Test centuries – was a significant factor in his selection over Nevill, but four matches into his Test return the left-hander has scored just 50 runs from five innings, although two of them have come when Australia were chasing quick runs head of a declaration.

Australia have not lost a Test since Wade returned in Adelaide, and while India is a challenging prospect for even the finest wicketkeeper, Waugh says he would stick with the Victorian.

"(The selectors) obviously believe (Wade) is a good keeper as well (as a good batsman)," Waugh said.

"To replace Peter Nevill, you wouldn’t do that without thinking it through because Nevill's a fantastic keeper and a good batsman.

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"They obviously believe Wade can keep well and he’s done a pretty good job so far.

"I’m a big believer in backing someone until you believe there’s someone better to replace them.

"They’ve picked him and he’s done OK. He needs some runs to stay in the side but I don’t think they change a winning side."