Usman Khawaja is happy to open the batting in the first Test and Australian coach Darren Lehmann has no doubt the batsman could handle the responsibility if recalled.

Chairman of selectors Rod Marsh will reveal Australia's Test squad next Friday ahead of their three-Test series opener against South Africa, which starts in Perth the following Thursday.

Khawaja is expected to be called up after he was dropped during the tour of Sri Lanka in August.

The left-hander has batted at first drop in the majority of his 29 Test innings, including a purple patch last summer that featured tons at the Gabba, WACA Ground and MCG.