Michael Neser is reportedly not out of the equation when it comes to selecting Australia's XI to take on England in the Ashes this summer.
All of the talk in recent weeks has stemmed around the make up of the top seven, with Alex Carey battling Josh Inglis for the gloves following Tim Paine's exit from the team, while Usman Khawaja and Travis Head are squaring off for number five.
Jhye Richardson was rated as some chance of knocking Mitchell Starc out of the XI for the Gabba, but more likely to play a role for the home side later in the Ashes series.
Comments to cricket.com.au from Australian assistant coach Andrew McDonald suggest Neser is anything but out of the picture however as Australia look to pick three of their five bowlers in the 15-man squad which was locked in for the first two Tests of the series in Brisbane and Adelaide.
It would appear however that Neser won't be in the starting XI for the Gabba, with McDonald suggesting Adelaide and Melbourne could be options.
"In terms of his playing ability, he's right up there," Australia assistant coach Andrew McDonald said of Neser.
"He's right in the conversation. He was injured at the time when he got selected as well, so that probably suggests how valuable the selectors see him.
"And then it will just be a case of when that opportunity arises, what are the conditions, it is the pink ball game, is it the MCG stump-to-stump?
"There will be a bit of design in the way the selectors are thinking about that, and hence why they've picked five slightly different bowlers to really complement each other."
Michael Neser is yet to make his Test debut for Australia, but has been included in numerous squads. He has played two ODI matches, taking two wickets.
It's with the red ball where Neser shines however, taking 228 wickets at 24.94 in first class cricket. He was a member of the Sheffield Shield team of the year at the end of the 2017-18 summer.
His returns this summer have been hampered by a shoulder injury, but took 18 wickets at 24 in just six matches last summer for the Queensland Bulls, where he is a mainstay of the Shield team.
