Pattinson picked for Shield return

Return ... James Pattinson has been picked to play for Victoria. Source: Julian Smith / AAP

Test quick James Pattinson returns to first-class cricket on Thursday in Victoria's Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia after a two-month layoff.

The 22-year-old speedster broke down with a rib injury in the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide in November but has made a successful return via grade cricket and picked up 3-38 for Dandenong last weekend.

Pattinson's return is a boost for Australia's selectors as they attempt to finalise a squad due to be named next week for the upcoming four-Test tour of India.

David Hussey, who is hoping at 35 to force his way into Test calculations despite averaging only 17.14 at Shield level this season, has been named to play for the Bushrangers in a busy week which includes Wednesday night's fifth one-day international against Sri Lanka in Hobart.

However, Victoria have not included Clint McKay, who's also part of Australia's ODI squad for the Hobart game.peIt's understood Cricket Australia were happy for a batsman such as Hussey to back up the following day for a four-day game but not a pace bowler.

McKay and Hussey were both left out of Australia's T20 squad for clashes against Sri Lanka on Saturday in Sydney and in Melbourne two days later.

Hussey's 39-game tally of T20I matches is the second-highest by an Australian, trailing only David Warner's 42.

Hussey's role as a batsman/offspinner has been taken by Glenn Maxwell in the national T20 side and Maxwell's potential Test-squad selection is also a threat to Hussey's India tour hopes.

Legspinners Fawad Ahmed and James Muirhead are both in line for their Shield debuts after being named in Victoria's squad.

Ahmed, 33, played 10 first-class games in Pakistan before being granted asylum in Australia.

The 19-year-old Muirhead has been 12th man in two Shield games this season.

Victorian coach Greg Shipperd said the second-placed Bushrangers were thrilled to have Pattinson back in the side for the clash with the fifth-placed Redbacks.

"His presence at the start of the (season) led to us putting points on the board and we're hoping his impact against South Australia can be just as dramatic," Shipperd said on Tuesday.

"We'll assess the conditions before we decide on the final make-up of the team but, from a national selection perspective, we've selected two legspinners who may come into calculations in the future."

The spin duo of Ahmed and Muirhead and pace bowlers Will Sheridan and Scott Boland are potential candidates for the 12th-man role as they compete for three available spots.

Victorian squad: Cameron White (capt), Fawad Ahmed, Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, John Hastings, Michael Hill, David Hussey, James Muirhead, James Pattinson, Rob Quiney, Chris Rogers, Will Sheridan.

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