MacGill's brutal smackdown on Ashes selectors

Stuart MacGill has taken a massive swipe at Australia's Test selectors for the Ashes series, branding them "morons masquerading as mentors."

The former Test spinner was particularly aggrieved by the fact New South Wales wicketkeeper Peter Nevill had been overlooked in favour of Tasmania's Tim Paine, despite the latter's recent lack of time behind the stumps.

ASHES BOMBSHELL: Shock selections in Australia side for first Test

Nevill was widely tipped to regain the gloves, having been dumped a year ago in favour of Matthew Wade, but selectors delivered a bombshell by giving Paine a shock Test recall.

MacGill was quick to condemn the decision, declaring Nevill as the best man for the job.

The retired spinner posted a picture of Nevill on social media with the caption: "How about we pick a player who can do the job he’s selected for."

"Forget Ferry McFerryface, let's vote on the idiots that pick the Australian cricket team."

The criticism didn't end there with MacGill posting another, more vicious smackdown on the Australian selectors.

The former NSW bowler proved his agenda wasn't merely NSW-centric by taking a thinly-veiled swipe at fellow Blues star and Test captain, Steve Smith.

Paine was left out of Tasmania's Sheffield Shield side earlier this season, with Wade behind the stumps for the state.

The 32-year-old, who has posted one century from 91 first-class games, instead faced England in a tour game at Adelaide Oval then featured in the most recent Shield round as a batsman.

Paine's four Tests all came in 2010, the same year he suffered a broken finger. It became a recurring injury that required multiple rounds of surgery and threatened to end his career.

Paine recovered but earlier this year contemplated shifting to Melbourne for a job with Kookaburra, having sensed his professional days were numbered after playing three Shield games in 2016-17.

Nevill's snubbing and Paine's inclusion would seem to spell an end to the Test career of Matthew Wade - a fact not lost on the under-fire wicketkeeper on Thursday.

"If I get dropped now from Test cricket, I'd be surprised if I get another call back," the 29-year-old said before the squad was named.

"That'd be my second (stint) so I'll be surprised if I play Test cricket again if this doesn't work out, but who knows.

Aside from Paine, Shaun Marsh and Cameron Bancroft are the other two surprises in the Test squad, with Matt Renshaw considered unlucky to lose his spot as David Warner's opening partner.

Trevor Hohns' 13-man squad for the first and second Tests against England also features reserve pacemen Jackson Bird and Chadd Sayers, while there have been six changes to the incumbent Test XI that defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets.

"Tim was identified as an international player a long time ago and has always been renowned as a very good gloveman," Hohns said.

Debutant Bancroft will open in the Gabba clash that starts on Thursday, having claimed out-of-form youngster Renshaw's place at the top of the order.

Australia XIII: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (capt), Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.