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Veteran batsman Adam Voges appears poised to make his Test debut at age 35 after concussion ruled Chris Rogers out of the series opener against West Indies.
The Western Australia captain seems the man most likely to come into Australia's team for the first Test in Roseau, Dominica, after Rogers was scratched by team doctor Peter Brukner on Monday.
Struck on the head by a delivery from a local net bowler at Sunday's training session at Windsor Park, Rogers was omitted after his concussion symptoms continued into Monday morning.
It is the first Test the 37-year-old has missed after playing 19 straight following his recall for the 2013 Ashes.
Shaun Marsh is almost certain to move up the order to fill Rogers' opening spot after making a century when opening the batting in last week's tour match in Antigua.
Shane Watson, who has previously opened in Tests for Australia, could also make the move up the order.
Whatever happens, with captain Michael Clarke confirming Steve Smith will bat at the premier No. 3 spot after his stellar summer, there's a vacancy in Australia's middle order.
Voges made 52 against the WICB President's XI and has been in the form of his life for the past nine months, including a Sheffield Shield season when he scored 1358 runs.
The other option will be if Australia pick uncapped leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed along with incumbent tweaker Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh could be picked alongside fellow all-rounder Watson to give Clarke an added bowling option.
If Fawad and Lyon are chosen on the traditionally spin-friendly Windsor Park deck then there's further selection grief awaiting the fast bowling ranks.
One of Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will have to miss out and World Cup hero Starc is considered the man most likely.
Clarke says he doesn't expect the final make-up of the team to be revealed until the toss on Wednesday.
"I don't know what 11 they'll give me yet, it will be determined by how the pitch turns out," Clarke said.
"That decision will be made quite late I would imagine ... I'll work out the batting order from there.
"Shaun just opened and made a hundred. Watto has opened before and been quite successful up the top of the order, so we've got some other options.
"Let's just assess once I get the 11, then I'll be able to work out what I think the best batting order is for these conditions."
Smith's elevation to the No. 3 spot was confirmed.
The 25-year-old has become one of Australia's most important players and even rose to become Test captain while Clarke was out injured during his golden summer.
Clarke said he'd raised the prospect with Smith during the World Cup and insisted on the switch once the team arrived in the Caribbean. - AAP