Domestic form will come into play when Ashes squad is chosen, says Chappell

VETERAN Michael Hussey faces a nervous week awaiting his fate as a Test cricketer after Greg Chappell said reputations would count for nothing when national selectors convened later this week to pick Australia's squad for the Ashes opener.

But with selectors locked into naming the squad on Monday, the main rivals for Hussey's spot - South Australia's Callum Ferguson and NSW's Usman Khawaja - are likely to have just one match to further their case for a Test debut.

Hussey, for his part, said he was attempting to distance himself from the conjecture surrounding his place in the Test squad. ''I haven't thought about it,'' he said. ''I've pretty much removed myself from the media speculation that is going around. I didn't even know when the team gets named so I'm hoping I'm on the sheet.''

Hussey remains a force in Australia's limited-overs sides but has endured a modest run in the five-day arena in the past two years with just two centuries from his past 28 Tests. His average dipped below 50 during last month's series.

''They're pretty important. Obviously we don't get the chance for the Test guys to play Shield cricket too often, so it's an opportunity to see how blokes perform in domestic cricket against the better bowlers and batsmen in the country. It will give us a good guide,'' Chappell said.

''It will have a bearing on the summer in some shape or form, whether it's Brisbane or later on, obviously it'll depend on how things go.''

Selectors will name the Australia A squad today. ''It'll be the best young cricketers in the country.''