Tasmanian skipper ready for the scrutiny of Test spots as Tigers prepare for Shield season opener

A second Ashes century to finish the series should be enough to see Matthew Wade start the home summer against Pakistan, but the gritty left-hander is ready for the selection debate to begin.

REBORN Test batsman Matthew Wade is prepared for the intense Test selection spotlight when the Sheffield Shield season kicks off this week.

The Tasmanian skipper — who revived his Test career after playing all five Ashes Tests in England — went a long way to locking his start for the home summer against Pakistan with a brilliant century in the last Test at Edgbaston.

Matthew Wade celebrates his century during the fifth Ashes Test. Picture: GETTY

Despite Australia retaining the Ashes, there are plenty of questions surrounding the structure of the country’s side for the first Test at the Gabba late next month, with four rounds of Shield action to determine several spots.

The Tigers begin their campaign against Western Australia in Perth on Thursday and while Wade knows he can silence critics with some big early season scores, he is determined to keep the same mindset that helped him reclaim his baggy green.

WADE CREDITS FAMILY FOR TEST SUCCESS

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 15: Matthew Wade of Australia bats during Day Four of the 5th Specsavers Ashes Test between England and Australia at The Kia Oval on September 15, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

“I know there’s a lot of media speculation about who gets picked in the first Test and guys start focusing a little bit more to try and get picked on that, and I mean I’m in that boat as well, there will be plenty of talk around me,” Wade said.

“For me it’s just slotting back in and playing good cricket and captaining well and trying to win games for Tassie. If I get a big score that’s great, if I don’t I’m confident in my game that I’ll get one eventually.

“I think it [Test selection] is something you have got to remind yourself of, I think you can try and hold on too tight and try and push too hard to score runs.

“The reality is every time you walk out to play a game of cricket you would ideally like to score runs, whether there’s Test selection involved or whether it’s playing club cricket.

“There’s no difference for me, but I have to remind myself every now and then to just go out there and do what I did for a two-year period. If I do that then we’ve seen that my game’s good enough at this level and at the next level if I trust it.

“Playing the whole series in England, I think at stages I felt like I was holding on a little tight but once it got towards the end I felt like I got into that zone of just playing free cricket without trying to hold on too tight to Australian selection.”

Jofra Archer and Matthew Wade exchange words during the fifth Ashes Test. Picture: GETTY

Wade, who made his first appearance this summer for the Tigers during the 50-over tournament last week, said he felt a “bit off” against the Redbacks but has used the past week to refocus on red ball cricket.

Test captain Tim Paine has been named for his first match since the Ashes tour against the Warriors after suffering a broken thumb during the fifth Ashes Test.

Matthew Wade during the Marsh One Day Cup match against South Australia last week Picture: AAP

Tigers coach Jeff Vaughan said he expects the gloveman to take his position behind the stumps.

YOUNG CUBS IN LINE FOR SHIELD START

“We’ve only seen him this morning for the first time, at this stage I don’t really know a lot about his [thumb] and how he’s going,” Vaughan said.

“He literally flew in this morning, so we’ll know a little bit more about him over the next sort of two or three days leading into the game.

“I think he’s going to be OK. He’s done it for 15 years and had sore hands and busted hands over the journey so very confident, and we’ll be guided by him and how he is travelling.”

TIGERS SQUAD: Matthew Wade (c), George Bailey, Jackson Bird, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Lawrence Neil-Smith, Tim Paine, Alex Pyecroft, Sam Rainbird, Jordan Silk.