Not only has ex-teammate Brad Haddin questioned Nathan Coulter-Nile’s call-up for this week’s first Test against the West Indies in Hobart, he has queried the WA quick’s fitness.

The dust had appeared to settle over Coulter-Nile’s left-field squad selection ahead of the three-Test series opener starting on Thursday despite not playing a four-day game since March.

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The 28-year-old appears the direct beneficiary of the national selectors’ new found obsession for pace, opting for bowlers who can shatter the 140kph mark.

And it seems he will earn a Test debut if selectors believe young injury-prone Josh Hazlewood is due for a break ahead of the quick turnaround between the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests.

But ex-keeper Haddin – who once rubbed shoulders with Coulter-Nile in the one-day national team – stoked the fire of controversy again, saying the WA quick had not earned a call-up through form nor fitness.

“He hasn’t played any Shield cricket, he also broke down in the last Australian one-day series in England (with hamstring complaint),” he told Sky Sports Radio.

“It looks to me that they have just gone for pace rather than form in state cricket.

“Coulter-Nile can get the ball up aground 145kph when he is on. But the big question remains is how much cricket he has had?

“I don’t expect him to play unless (Josh) Hazlewood’s workloads (are a concern) – it’s an interesting selection.”

But Haddin stood up for Test opener Joe Burns who has failed to back up from his blistering 129 in the first Test win over New Zealand in Brisbane last month.

“I think he has earned the right to have this series – he started really well in Brisbane,” Haddin said.

“He has had a couple of failures in the last couple of Tests but you have to stick with these guys for a while and see how they go.

“You’ve got (Usman) Khawaja (coming back from hamstring injury) who is going to put some pressure on and obviously (Shaun) Marsh is hungry to get a consistent spot.

“I think there are a few guys under a bit of pressure but that’s what Test cricket is about.”

Not that Haddin expected the Australian batting line-up to face much of a test against the lowly ranked Windies.

Haddin rejected claims not much could be read into the Windies’ lacklustre 10-wicket tour-opening loss to a no name Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane.

“If you have a look at it, that’s what their form has been like over the last few years,” he said of the Windies who have not won an overseas Test series of note in 20 years.

“They are also lucky Mitchell Starc (ankle) is out because he would have gone through that team real quick.

“The tail would be out in 15 minutes I reckon.”

– AAP