Australia could trot out three debutants in the first Test against Sri Lanka, starting Thursday.

Cricket Australia’s selection panel sensationally added NSW Blues left-hand bat Kurtis Patterson to the squad on Monday, following his twin unbeaten centuries in a tour match against Sri Lanka in Hobart.

Also in the past couple of days Josh Hazlewood has been withdrawn from the squad through injury, and replaced by promising young quick Jhye Richardson.

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It all makes for an intriguing few days leading into the Test match in Brisbane.

Here’s how foxsports.com.au thinks Australia will line up at The Gabba.

BACKFLIP: Kurtis Patterson rushed into Test squad

THE BATSMEN

The contenders: Marcus Harris, Joe Burns, Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Travis Head, Tim Paine

The locks: Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Tim Paine

If we can say there’s four batsmen locked in for Australia, it leaves three spots available to be filled in the top seven.

The battle comes down to Joe Burns, Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Kurtis Patterson, and Will Pucovski. Two need to miss out.

Senior News Corp journalists Peter Lalor and Robert Craddock have both reported Burns is likely to nab one of those spots. If that’s the case he would likely be asked to open the batting with Harris, pushing Khawaja back to No.3.

Renshaw failed in both innings of the tour match and hasn’t been scoring runs for Queensland regularly enough. We’re tipping he will miss the cut.

Then there’s potential debutants Patterson and Pucovski. We think they will both be handed their baggy greens in Brisbane.

Pucovski is considered Australia’s next cricket star, and despite a couple of so-so performances in the tour match it would make sense selectors want him in the team after naming him in the squad two weeks ago.

Patterson has been rushed into the squad following two unbeaten centuries against Sri Lanka and is all but assured of making his debut.

That leaves Labuschagne as the “unlucky” player to miss out, alongside Renshaw.

Labuschagne was brought into the side for the SCG Test against India despite only averaging 33.23 with the bat in first-class cricket. He scored a 6 and a 50 for the Cricket Australia XI, but will make way to allow the debutants to come in.

THE BOWLERS

The contenders: Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon

The locks: Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon

The four-man bowling unit would have been locked in if not for the injury to Josh Hazlewood, who was withdrawn from the squad over the weekend.

Not it comes down to a face-off between the veteran seamer Peter Siddle and his much younger countryman Jhye Richardson.

Siddle played the last of his 64 Tests in October against Pakistan. He averages 30.28 while wearing the baggy green and wouldn’t let Australia down if given the chance to wear the whites for his country.

Richardson is the 22-year-old promising quick who Cricket Australia hopes can become a long-term Test bowler. He has genuine pace and a decent domestic record early on in his career.

We’re backing the selectors to throw Richardson in for his Test debut against a Sri Lanka side he could wreak havoc on with the red ball, preparing him somewhat for future series.

PREDICTED AUSTRALIA XI

Marcus Harris

Joe Burns

Usman Khawaja

Kurtis Patterson

Will Pucovski

Travis Head

Tim Paine (c)

Pat Cummins

Mitchell Starc

Jhye Richardson

Nathan Lyon

The unlucky ones: Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle

Australia v Sri Lanka

First Test at The Gabba, Thursday (day-night)

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Jhye Richardson, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Will Pucovski, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Kurtis Patterson

Sri Lanka squad: Dinesh Chandimal (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Roshen Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Kusal Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha