A “frustrated” Matthew Wade has urged the Australian selectors to consider him as a specialist batsman for the Test team.

In a remarkably candid interview with Fox Sports News, the 31-year-old conceded his time as the national gloveman is all but finished after receiving a shock email from Justin Langer before the Sydney Test.

On December 18, Wade told SEN radio he had not “heard one word” from Australia’s selectors after he was dropped in 2017 before the Ashes. But the communication channels finally opened up two weeks later when Langer’s name popped up in his inbox.

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The email praised his batting form, but effectively shut the door on any hope of a recall ahead of captain Tim Paine.

“Justin Langer shot me an email before the start of the last test just saying well done on my performances [but] at the moment I’m not probably going to get a look in anytime soon,” Wade said on Fox Sports News.

Although delighted to receive correspondence from the national coach and one of three selectors, the in-form Wade was adamant he would not let keeping or batting at number 6 for Tasmania hold him back from an Ashes berth.

“I feel like my form is as good as anyone in the country. When Justin first took over he said that weight of runs would be the leverage to get selected, and I feel like I’ve put the runs on the board over a long period of time,” he continued.

Wade: The gloves are off 3:06

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“I’m hoping they’re not just looking at me as a specialist keeper, I hope they are looking at me as a batsman as well. If I have to prove that in Shield cricket, I will. I’ll come up the order and take off the gloves. Hopefully the communication keeps coming.”

Wade’s 571 runs at 63.44 from six matches this summer places him at the top of the pile. In among his 12 innings, he’s crafted five half centuries and nailed one ton to heap further pressure on the national selectors.

Of fellow first-class batsmen who have represented their states in five or six Shield games, Marnus Labuschagne (Average: 28.22), Matt Renshaw (19.80), Peter Handscomb (45.12) and Joe Burns (47.20) have now been selected in Test squads across the summer despite inferior numbers.

Opener Marcus Harris (501 runs at 71.57) is the only batsman to have played five or more games boasting a better average.

Conceding frustration that generally ties in with lack of opportunity, Wade declared his willingness to move up the order for Tasmania on a wicket that has traditionally made life difficult for top order batsmen.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” he said.

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“It was a blessing in disguise that I got to play just as a batter with Tim in the team, so it probably showed the selectors that I can play as a specialist batsman. I’m not batting in the top four of five at the moment for Tasmania, but at the moment in the Test team I feel like number 5 or 6, that role would suit me perfectly, so hopefully they come knocking soon.

“I’m arguably batting on the worst wicket in the country. Granted it is at six, but I feel like I’m in pretty early in most innings. They might want me to come up the order, maybe that’s something that I can look at.

Matthew Wade has plundered lots of Shield runs this season. Source: AAP

“I understand, as a keeper it’s probably not going to come there … my Test career is probably done as a wicket-keeper but I feel like my weight of runs as a batsman should be looked at.”

But it seems the Australian selectors are refusing to ignore his work with the gloves, advising him to elevate his batting position in order to re-inject his name in the conversation.

“He’s playing as a wicket keeper-batsman for Tasmania and it just so happens we have a wicket keeper-batsman in our side and that’s Tim Paine, who is the captain,” Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns said on Wednesday.

“It’s great to see Matthew scoring some runs but if Matthew wants to be considered as a straight-out batsman it would be nice to see him batting up a little bit higher for Tasmania, and that conversation has been had.”

Burns opens up on recall 2:47

When quizzed on Langer’s email, Wade said he was appreciative of the communication — despite the contents of the message — but also took a veiled swipe at previous selection panels.

“Justin didn’t have to reach out to me,” the 22-Test gloveman said sitting in the stands at Blundstone Arena.

“I wasn’t selected in any of the teams. He didn’t have to reach out, so it was nice to have a little bit of communication — whether coaches or selectors — obviously over my time that hasn’t been there at all.

Wade, who has two half centuries from six knocks in BBL 08, credited a more relaxed perspective with his return to form this summer.

Pucovski's double century 1:48

And while he’s enjoying his return to the island state along with wife Julia, two-year-old daughter Winter and another baby on the way, he still has a burning desire to represent his country again, particularly given the Australian team’s struggles.

“When I first moved down (to Hobart) I wasn’t thinking about international cricket at all,” he said.

“It is not easy to watch what’s going on at the highest level at the moment and as a player you want to make a difference, so if I was given the opportunity I feel like I could make a difference.”