Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has some frank advice for Test hopeful Usman Khawaja.

"Shut up and get runs."

A veteran of 103 Tests with 8,625 runs at 50.73 to his name, Hayden's words carry weight for Khawaja who is hoping to win his spot back today when selectors reveal the Australia squad to face South Africa for the opening Commonwealth Bank Test at the WACA, starting next Thursday.

Khawaja said he and fellow Queenslander Joe Burns were made "scapegoats" after both were dropped following the second Test against Sri Lanka. Australia lost the series 0-3, and with it their World No.1 ranking.

"It’s a pretty big decision after just two Test matches," Khawaja told Fairfax of being dropped. "It was disappointing that Joe Burns and I were sort of the scapegoats for not performing.

"I just thought that I’d only played two Test matches in the subcontinent and I got dropped. I wasn’t the only person who wasn’t scoring runs."

Hayden, who famously swept his way to success in India in 2001, said while he sympathised with the current Queensland skipper he would be better served by racking up runs rather than headlines.

Hayden unfurls his powerful sweep shot // Getty

“It never pays to argue the toss,” Hayden said on Triple M's Rush Hour.

"In sporting sides you kind of feel a bit gypped at times because you want to do better and you’re driven by your own success.

"But it’s always clearly one case, and that’s let your bat do the talking.

"I do think it was a harsh call on Uzzy, he’s always had those calls unfortunately.

"He just has to shut up and get runs — which he’s done this particular innings (in the Sheffield Shield this week) — but keep getting runs and keep mounting his story otherwise there’s going to be other players to take his spot."

Khawaja scored 79 in the ongoing Sheffield Shield round for Queensland, against a NSW Blues attack featuring Australia bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.

Khawaja boosts Test bid with 79

He resumes on 12 today with the Bulls still trailing by 313 runs.

Test vice-captain David Warner echoed Hayden's sentiments, and said he had learned the hard way that raging against authority "got you nowhere".

"I have been there myself," Warner said of Khawaja's plight. "We have all voiced our opinions in the past and it probably gets you nowhere.

"You have to let it go and just move on and control what you can and that's your own game.

"But he (Khawaja) is a world-class player, we know what we get with him. He's got to keep knuckling down and scoring runs."

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Australia coach Darren Lehmann said Khawaja's words would not be held against him when selectors pick the team to face the Proteas.

"He is not on the back foot," the Bupa Support Team Head Coach said in Brisbane on Tuesday.

"(But) I will chat to him privately. We would rather have these things played out between selectors and players."

Khawaja is bowled in Galle second Test // Getty

Lehmann said while being axed in Sri Lanka was warranted, it "doesn't affect the summer at home".

"There were different conditions and those two guys (Burns and Khawaja) weren't playing well enough – they averaged eight or seven in two Test matches," Lehmann said.

"We had to change something, but that doesn't affect the summer at home.

"We have to work out what we think the best batting line-up is for the summer."

Shaun Marsh posts terrific ton

National Selector Rod Marsh will name the squad to face the Proteas at 11am in Perth (2pm AEDT). A report in News Limited papers this morning claimed Shaun Marsh would keep his position as opener alongside David Warner with Khawaja to return at No.3.

The battle to be the third seamer in the XI alongside Starc and Hazlewood shapes as a more intriguing contest. Peter Siddle is seen as the front-runner, and bowled impeccable lines to take 1-18 from 13 first-innings overs in Victoria's clash with Tasmania at the MCG.

Siddle has one second-innings wicket under his belt as Victoria will chase an outright win on the fourth evening today. Tasmania's Jackson Bird finished the match with hauls of 3-75 and 3-59 to press his case.

Bird bags six in Shield opener

In Perth, Chadd Sayers, who was part of the Test squad for February's tour of New Zealand, picked up 2-51 and 4-57 in the West End Redbacks match against Western Australia, while Joe Mennie – who made his international debut on the ODI tour of South Africa – took 3-56 in the first innings.

For WA, Jason Behrendorff claimed 3-70 but the squad will be named before he bowls again in the Redbacks' second innings.

Australia Test Squad (probable): David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle, Jackson Bird.