The Test squad for next month's tour of India will also be named, with particular intrigue over who will fill the spinning berths. Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe, the latter released from his Big Bash duties to prepare for the red-ball format, will fill the frontline roles, but the make-up from there has been a major talking point.

Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who was drafted into the squad for Sydney Test last week but did not play, and leg-spinners Adam Zampa and Mitch Swepson all have support, while spinning allrounders Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head are also in contention.

Maxwell, who has not played a Test since 2014, has had an indifferent season. He was in the one-day squad but did not play against New Zealand last month but returned to the side for Friday night's win over Pakistan at the Gabba, contributing 60 off 56 balls.

His spat with his Victorian captain – and Australian teammate – Matthew Wade over his place in the Bushrangers' batting order was well documented, but the pair appear to have brokered peace and batted well in an 82-run stand together.

Maxwell said he wasn't pinning his hopes on a ticket to the sub-continent.

"I wouldn't say I am confident, that's for sure," he said on Saturday.

But Wade expects Maxwell to be firmly in the selection mix for the four-Test series.

"He plays spin really well and he bowls right-arm off-spin. He'll definitely be in the mix, I would have thought," Wade said.

Maxwell has support because he could strengthen a lower order which has struggled for consistent runs this summer, while also providing relief overs for Lyon and O'Keefe.

Wade's maiden, match-turning one-day century on Friday in Australia's strong win could not have come at a better time for his form had been modest this season although his work behind the stumps and presence had been well received.

"I'm not nervous about selection, I'd be nervous if we lost four Test matches in a row but we're winning games and the team's going really well," Wade said.

Australia's youth-led policy under selection chairman Trevor Hohns has been praised but India presents the panel's greatest challenge, for Australia have won just one of their past nine Test series there, and have dropped their past nine Tests in Asia.

The fast-bowling allrounder's role has also been heavily debated, for Hilton Cartwright, who debuted in Sydney, and Mitch Marsh have claims. Marsh is the better bowler, which could give him the edge. This shapes as being a crucial call if the tourists play two front-line spinners alongside quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood come the first Test in Pune on February 23.

Batsman Shaun Marsh, who can open or slot further down the order and plays spin well, shapes as being the specialist reserve batsman.

Australia's immediate focus, though, will be on Pakistan, with skipper Steve Smith and David Warner hoping to rebound at the MCG from their Gabba failures. It was only the second time since Smith returned to the one-day side in 2014 that he and Warner had both fallen in the same match in single figures.

Hazlewood returned to the squad on Saturday, having been rested in Brisbane, while Pakistan veteran Shoaib Malik is expected to be available after being sidelined because of illness.

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali (hamstring) is in doubt but has said he expects to play as the tourists seek redemption for a dismal batting performance, having been fired out for 176 in the 43rd over, chasing 9-268.

Coach Mickey Arthur lamented his team's approach, demanding a higher intensity.

"I thought from the fifth ODI in England [in September] we had devised a brand that worked for us and a brand that would be sustainable for us at international level," he said.

"But we went back to the old-style cricket tonight, which doesn't really have a future and it means that we don't get the scores of 300 that we need.

"One-day cricket has moved on. We saw Chris Lynn tonight come in and it looked like he was playing Twenty20 cricket again. That's where the game's going.

"Scores of 300 are the norm. 300 used to be incredibly good and teams used to win more times than not but on wickets like this [at the Gabba] teams aren't going to win. 300 is a 50-50 score."