Six players to watch this Sheffield Shield season

Australia's re-match with India is still more than two months away, but the battle for Test spots begins on Saturday with the start of the Marsh Sheffield Shield season.

With Australia winning all five Tests last summer, coach Justin Langer has already indicated the players who did so well against Pakistan and New Zealand are set to feature again when the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins in December.

Up to seven members of Australia's XI from their most recent Test last January are set to feature in the opening rounds of the Shield; Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.

But with the likelihood that a handful of extra players will be picked in Australia's squad this summer due to COVID-19 restrictions, the race is on for those on the fringes of the Test set-up.

We take a look at the players with the most to gain in the early Shield rounds with a view to winning a Test spot later this summer.

Usman Khawaja (Queensland)

Axed from the Test side last year, Khawaja remains one of the top batsmen in the country and his versatility as both an opener and top-order player means a recall could be on the cards if he starts the season well. The left-hander looks set to bat at No.4 in a star-studded Bulls side that will also feature Burns, Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw, and the 33-year-old is determined to prove that his days in Test cricket are far from done with yet. The Aussies could potentially pick up to two spare batsmen in an extended Test squad to face India, and Khawaja will be hoping he's one of them.

Nic Maddinson (Victoria)

Last season's leading run-scorer, Maddinson has averaged a touch under 84 with the bat in 10 matches since moving to Victoria and was possibly one big score away from a Test recall last summer before he took a break from the game for mental health reasons. Like Khawaja, the left-hander has the ability to open or bat in the middle order, which will make him an attractive proposition for a call-up as a reserve batsman should he continue his brilliant Shield form early in this new season.

Will Pucovski (Victoria)

Like his Victorian teammate Maddinson, Pucovski has been close to a Test call-up in the past few years, but has had his own battle with his mental health. Still only 22 years old, it seems a matter of when and not if this talented right-hander is given a chance to make his mark at international level. And if he starts the Shield season brightly, he might be given that chance early in the Test summer.

Cameron Green (Western Australia)

After a breakout Shield campaign last season when he scored three hundreds and averaged more than 60, there will be plenty of eyes on whether Green can produce another strong campaign this season. While the 21-year-old will play as a batter only in the early rounds, it's hoped he'll be able to resume bowling shortly, which could make him a Test contender as an allrounder as well as a reserve batter, especially with Mitchell Marsh sidelined by an ankle injury.

Mitchell Swepson (Queensland)

Only an injury would rule Nathan Lyon out of any Test cricket this summer, but Australia would likely want a second spinner in their bio-secure bubble in case anything was to happen to their star off-spinner, or conditions call for two tweakers. Having been called into the Test squad last summer, Swepson appears to be the frontrunner for that role, although left-armers Jon Holland and Ashton Agar could also put their names forward with a strong start to the Shield season. And with the boutique Shield venues in Adelaide expected to favour slow bowling, the likes of Swepson could have a major role to play in the opening rounds of the competition.

Michael Neser (Queensland)

Australia's spare Test fast bowler for the past two years, will this be the year that Neser finally breaks through for a Test debut? The Queensland seamer is set to be fully fit for the start of the Shield campaign after suffering an injury in the off-season and is one of the favourites for a pace spot in Australia's Test squad this summer alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson (who are all currently at the IPL) as well as Mitchell Starc. Having taken 33 wickets in just six games last season, the right-armer should be in contention again if he shakes off his fitness worries and shows some more good form to open the summer.