The Ashes 2017: Glenn Maxwell on standby to cover David Warner and Shaun Marsh

UPDATE: Glenn Maxwell has stormed into contention to play his first Test on home soil with Australia hit by fresh injury concerns just hours out from the opening Test in Brisbane.

Glenn Maxwell gets the nod as the shadow player.

GLENN Maxwell has stormed into huge contention to play the first Test, after Shaun Marsh sparked a fresh Ashes drama by joining David Warner on the injury watch list.

Marsh complained of back stiffness in the nets on Wednesday and while it’s understood he is confident of being right, he will have to be assessed in the morning.

The fact Marsh has a long history of back problems means Australia must now seriously weigh up whether they can risk the left-hander for such a crucial battle.

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Warner looks highly likely to play, but to have two members of the top six under a cloud on the eve of the first Test is a potential disaster for an Australian side who 48 hours ago thought their preparations were on track.

It will be a challenge for captain Steve Smith to keep his side focused and settled.

David Warner was all smiles as he proved his fitness in Brisbane.

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Maxwell arrived in Brisbane early Wednesday night on standby for both players and after being axed from the original squad last week, his long-awaited debut on home soil is suddenly firmly on the cards as he vies to shed his tag as a sub-continental specialist.

There have been constant doubts cast over Maxwell’s ability to handle the short ball on bouncy, home pitches, but finally selectors are willing to back his all-round skill and impressive first-class record, dismissing theories he was on the outer and had his cards marked for this summer.

Marsh seized up with a jarred back in the last Test match he played in Dharamsala earlier this year and he was barely able to move when he went out to the crease.

Shaun Marsh also has a sore back so Glenn Maxwell is on standby for both he and Dave Warner @telegraph_sport

— Ben Horne (@BenHorne8) November 22, 2017

During a 2011 Test match in Cape Town, he was also unable to move and was rendered a passenger for Australia’s second innings all out for 47.

There is no suggestion Marsh’s injury is serious, but given his shocking problems in the past even a small hiccup could worsen badly over the course of a five-day Test.

Losing a batsman mid-Test can be crippling.

Marsh pulled up with a stiff back just a day after Warner twinged his neck, but Australia have all but ruled out calling in a second batsman as cover.

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West Australian Marsh has had nine lives in the Australian team, never lasting more than five Tests at a time, and Michael Slater expressed doubts over the enigmatic star’s fitness going into a huge series.

“I just hope his (Marsh) body gets through the summer. That’s been his achilles heel,” said Nine commentator, Slater last week.

“The last few times he has been in he has gone out with a hamstring or a back.”

Even if Marsh plays, there is a huge spotlight now on the wisdom of selectors to pick him – as good as his batting form has been.

NSW opener Ed Cowan suggested that Steve Smith was among those shocked that Marsh had got another chance when the directive seemed to be to go for younger players.

Australia has lost the two matches Marsh has failed to get through in Cape Town and Dharamsala, and the nightmare scenario at the Gabba would be if both he and Warner were not operating at 100 per cent out in the middle.

The Australian camp is confident Warner will be fit to play, with Test great Merv Hughes tipping the vice-captain to back up his pre-series aggression and take the old enemy on like a “Pitbull in the junkyard.”

“He’s very confident and he says he’ll be right to go,” said Steve Smith.

“He’ll be OK. It’s part and parcel of playing cricket. Guys have injuries every now and then, and have little niggles.

“He said he’ll even bat like Shivnarine Chanderpaul (famous for his front-on stance at the crease) if he has to.

Glenn Maxwell gets the nod as the shadow player.

“He’s improved a fair bit over the last 24 hours and hopefully he can keep improving and be 100 per cent at 10am.”

Former Test quick Hughes, no stranger to getting in the face of English batsmen himself, predicted Warner would live up to the hype and lead from the front.

“I love Davey Warner when he’s barking. He’s not the little Chihuahua in the front yard that he barks and barks and barks and when someone jumps the fence he runs off to the backyard. He’s a Pitbull in the junk yard,” said Hughes.

“He’s sitting at the fence, he’s barking and barking and barking and if you jump the fence he’s going to rip your leg off.

“To me it just means he’s up for the fight and he’s switched on. He’s thinking about it.

“The great thing about Davey is when he talks it up he normally backs it up. I reckon it’s a great thing. I think he’s on the right track.”

Originally published as The Ashes 2017: Glenn Maxwell on standby to cover David Warner and Shaun Marsh