Hussain outlines 'danger' of Test picks

Former captain Nasser Hussain has called on England to "exploit" a supposed selection failure by Australia, also arguing the locals' bold calls have already created undue pressure.

Hussain's Daily Mail newspaper column was published as England struggled to break a 263-run stand between Jason Sangha and Matt Short on the last day of the visitors' final tour game.

England's bowlers, minus Jimmy Anderson, all battled in Townsville, but Hussain says the tourists have every reason to feel confident because of the new faces in Australia's XI.

Cameron Bancroft, Shaun Marsh and Tim Paine have all been called up for the Magellan Ashes opener that starts in Brisbane on Thursday.

"One of the skills of selection is to alleviate pressure from the guys you pick. The Australians have done the opposite," Hussain wrote.

"A week ago all the talk was about how England's fringe players were going to cope with the Ashes cauldron, that chat has now moved to the Aussies.

"The Australian public and media get behind their team when it's going well, but they're quick to pile in when they're struggling.

"The danger with these selections is that it doesn't take much for the grumbles to start."

Hussain added "if Bancroft nicks one early, or Marsh fails to make the most of his umpteenth call-up, or Paine drops one, they're immediately going to feel under pressure".

"It feels as if the selectors have tried to play it safe by going back to Marsh and Paine, and ignored the principle of consistency by dropping Matt Renshaw," he wrote.

"Question marks are hanging over the Australians.

"It does nothing to change my view that England will win the series."

Renshaw lost his spot at the top of Australia's order after making 70 runs in six innings for Queensland to start the JLT Sheffield Shield season, while Bancroft has struck a competition-leading 442 runs.

Australia's chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns on Friday acknowledged the process of picking the squad for the first two Tests of the series was one of the toughest he's been involved in.

"It took us quite a while because there were several contenders for various positions as everybody knows," Hohns said.

"There were a lot of underperformers as well. We really didn’t' have anybody jumping out at us to demand selection, except for Cameron Bancroft who put a case forward that was irresistible.

"That's what we're asking our players to do now, not mediocre performances, we want to raise the bar.

"We want some of them now belting the door down with performances to keep the pressure on the boys that have been chosen."

Hussain also opined that Australia's greatest strength - an imposing pace attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins - could potentially become a weakness.

"They've gone for six specialist batsmen and that means more work for their four-man attack," he wrote.

"They are fine bowlers but the three seamers ... have all picked up injuries in the past.

"So England may target offspinner Nathan Lyon in an attempt to get Steve Smith to bring his seamers back on.

"If that happens, and England can rack up some runs, then a four-man attack suddenly looks vulnerable."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21