Outgoing Victorian coach Greg Shipperd was adamant that Bushrangers spinner Fawad Ahmed had to be picked in Australia's squads to tour the West Indies and England this year.
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Fawad has enjoyed a breakout season to be the leading wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield by some margin.
The 33-year-old claimed 48 scalps at an average of 24.85 – 11 more than Tasmania's Andrew Fekete who was the next best with 37.
Crucially, Fawad saved his best performance for last when he snared an outstanding 8-89 against Western Australia in the first innings of the recently completed Sheffield Shield final which ended in a draw and saw the Bushrangers claim their 29th title.
"I would be surprised – very, very surprised if he wasn't on those trips," Shipperd told SEN.
"He has bowled the pants off his opposition, he's just in the peak of his form and I would have thought deserves to be on those trips for sure."
However, Fawad would have a battle on his hands to unseat Australia's incumbent tweaker Nathan Lyon who took more wickets (23) than anyone else in last summer's four-match Test series against India.
The Aussies head to the Caribbean in June for a two-Test series against the West Indies and return to England in July for The Ashes.
