Wicketkeeper Tim Paine believes he’s back on track to be Brad Haddin’s Australian successor despite not hearing anything from selectors.

Australia A gloveman Paine is one of several players facing England in Hobart this week who didn’t receive a phone call from Cricket Australia (CA) but instead learned of their selection through Twitter.

But the 28-year-old doesn’t need anyone to tell him that the race is now wide open after Haddin’s Ashes understudy, Victoria’s Matthew Wade, came back to the pack with a poor showing in England.

After several seasons battling a horrendous broken finger, Paine says he sees an opportunity to re-assert himself as the man in waiting behind veteran gloveman Haddin.

“I think there is no doubt it has opened up a bit. Brad is obviously the number one but after that who knows,” Paine said.

“It is about performing … if anything does happen to Brad or if he decides to hang them up in the next year or two it will be who is in the best form.”

Paine has had bone taken from his hip and inserted in his right index finger after major complications followed an initial injury in a hit-and-giggle Twenty20 game in 2010.

Before the setback, he was Haddin’s No.2 with four Tests under his belt and an Ashes series approaching.

Now finally after a frustrating stretch of watching as opportunities in the Test team went by, Paine believes he’s back where he wants to be.

The Tasmanian has had to reinvent the way he grips the bat and he hasn’t been able to add to his sole first-class hundred – a double century back in 2005.

“I’d like to think they would go back to a wicketkeeper-batsman rather than a batsman-wicketkeeper but at the same time it’s going to have to be someone who is scoring runs consistently,” he said.

There has been some confusion in the notifying of players for the Australia A clash.

Paine admitted it was “interesting” he never received a call from selectors.

“I didn’t to be honest, we were actually talking about it yesterday. A few us saw on Twitter. It was interesting,” Paine said.

“I heard a few whispers from our head coach that it may happen so they were preparing to pick teams … there was no phone call.

“I’m happy to be here and getting an opportunity.

“Obviously it means something but it hasn’t been handed down to me as yet.”

CA later admitted they could’ve handled the selection notification to players better.

“As it stands our priority is to communicate with players who are new to a squad or have been dropped from the previous side,” said the statement.

“In this instance, we could’ve communicated better with our players and will work to ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”