Rogers has staved off a challenge from Phillip Hughes and will partner David Warner at the top of the order in the first Test against India, starting on Thursday week.

Rogers' Test berth, and career, had been in peril after an underwhelming series in the UAE against Pakistan but the opener booked himself a ticket to Brisbane with his 71st first-class ton in the Sheffield Shield last week.

Speculation has been rife that Rogers would be replaced by Hughes, who is 12 years younger, but the incumbent's superior form since returning home from the Middle East has been acknowledged at the selection table.

Although Rogers missed the day-night round of shield games due to his colour blindness, he showed selectors he was not done with yet by making 107 for Victoria against South Australia. Hughes did himself no favours with twin failures of seven and 11 on top scores of 20 and 69 in his previous shield appearance.

While Rogers has preserved his Test career, another could be starting in Brisbane.

Hazlewood, expected to be the only uncapped player in Australia's squad, has been rewarded after an excellent start to the summer, albeit predominantly in the 50-over and Twenty20 arenas.

The giant quick from Tamworth has been left out of NSW's shield side for this week's game, which is a strong guide he is in the minds of national selectors for the first Test.

He will likely become the 440th recipient of the baggy green should Ryan Harris fail to prove his fitness.

Harris is the only other paceman not involved in shield action this week. The courageous quick, who  returned to first-class cricket last week after eight months out, is desperate to log more overs at state level before he throws himself back on to the international stage.

But given he also played last week, selectors will be wary of asking a player with such a long history of injuries to play a third game in as many weeks.

Speculation about captain Michael Clarke's availability for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series-opener will continue as he is almost certain to be named as captain, with Brad Haddin his deputy.

But competition is wide as to who will take the captain's place in the line-up should he succumb to his hamstring injury, with Shaun Marsh, Alex Doolan, Callum Ferguson and Hughes all in contention.

With Clarke not yet ruled out, it is possible selectors will wait for this week's round of shield games before announcing a shadow batsman.

Marsh would have played in the UAE had he not suffered an elbow injury. He enhanced his Test claims with a century a fortnight ago but missed opportunities last week with middling scores of 19 and 41.

Doolan was controversially dumped for the second Test against Pakistan but has failed to pass 50 in his four innings for Tasmania since returning home.

Ferguson has been one of the form batsmen in the opening three rounds of the Shield, hitting 324 runs at 81, including two centuries.

The South Australian has shone on the international stage previously but is uncapped at Test level due to concerns his game is too loose for the longer forms.

Elsewhere, Nathan Lyon is tipped to hold his place as Australia's No.1 spinner despite a poor series against Pakistan, while Shane Watson is likely to make his Test return.

Mitchell Marsh appears certain to hold his position after a promising start to his Test career in the Persian Gulf.

Possible squad: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh.