Wade reveals selectors' feedback

Matthew Wade has taken feedback from national selectors on board and indicated there's a chance he may bat higher in Tasmania's batting order when the JLT Sheffield Shield resumes later this month.

Wade concedes he's been frustrated by his lack of opportunities in the national side this summer but has praised the communication from coach Justin Langer and selector Trevor Hohns, saying the dialogue between players and selectors is better than it's ever been during his time as a professional player.

The left-hander is the leading Shield run-scorer this season and second in the KFC BBL competition, his sixth Big Bash half-century on Thursday night coming just hours after he was overlooked for Australia's white-ball tour of India.

Despite his red-hot form at Shield level batting at No.6 for Tasmania, the wicketkeeper-batsman has been told he needs to bat higher in the order to improve his chances of winning a Test spot as a specialist batter.

And with Test skipper Tim Paine set to take the gloves for Tigers in the latter stages of the Shield season, Wade says a move up the order might eventuate.

"(The selectors have said) they'd like to see me bat in the top four if I'm going to be selected as a specialist batsman,” Wade told SEN on Friday.

"I've sat down and had a good think about it, and to be moving around in the order for my personal goals is not something I've ever wanted to do as a player. I'll be playing wherever suits Tassie and the Hurricanes.

"Having said that, I think Tim Paine's available for the first three (Shield) games back after the break so that may be an opportunity for me to go up the order and see what I can do.

"There's an Ashes around the corner and I still feel like I can put my hand up for that as a keeper-batsman as well.

"Absolutely, it's a little bit frustrating (to not get selected). Weight of runs was the order of the day when Justin took over and I feel like I've put weight of runs on the board and I still haven't got a chance yet. So it's a little bit frustrating.”

Wade has been critical in the past of the lack of communication from selectors, saying most of his conversations with those in the national set-up in recent years have been simply passing on news that he'd been picked or dropped from the side.

However, he's noted a change in recent months and credited Langer and Hohns for both reaching out to him in recent weeks to explain why he's not been picked.

"They don't have to give me a call, so I certainly appreciate that they've gone out of their way to give me a call and let me know what they're thinking,” he said.

"And I know they've spoken to the head coach of Tassie (Adam Griffith) and told them their thoughts as well.

"For the 10 or 12 years that I've played professional cricket, the selectors and the players haven't had great communication and I feel like at least the guys are making the effort to give the players on the fringe a call and let them know what they're thinking. 

"From my experiences at least, I'm getting some feedback. I don't have to get that feedback. I suppose with a bit media pressure about my situation, they felt they needed to give some feedback on what they're thinking.”

Griffith said Wade is "the form batter in the country at the moment” but declined to criticise the selectors for not picking the 31-year-old this season.

"I think it's time we start supporting the people above us, the selectors and the players that are in that team to get the best out of them," Griffith said on Friday morning.

"A strong Australian team is really good for all of us.

"There's been enough written and said about (Wade's non-selection).

"If that's the decision they've made, then so be it. Who are we to second-guess a group of people that are in around it every day?"