Peter Siddle believes there is a one in 1000 chance of Brad Haddin not keeping wicket in the opening Test of the summer.

Australia vice-captain Haddin is recovering from a shoulder injury, with Matthew Wade given a chance to shine in the one-day series against South Africa that starts on Friday.

Siddle suggested Victoria teammate Wade would excel if given a Test recall, but added that Haddin is certain to be fit on December 4 when the four-Test series against India starts in Brisbane.

“Brad’s one of my best mates, so obviously I’d like him to be fit,” Siddle said in the lead-up to a rare Sheffield Shield appearance with Victoria.

“Knowing how strong a bloke he is – and watching him try to bat in that last Test – I know he won’t want to give up the chance to play a Test.

“I doubt he’d miss, I’m 99.9 per cent sure he won’t miss.

“We won’t have to worry about (questions of) who’s going to keep. You’ll just be looking at him.”

Siddle termed Wade a “little tough guy that loves a challenge”, adding that two Test centuries suggested he is a class player.

“As a young bloke coming in with all that pressure and hype – and being able to perform – it shows what sort of character he is,” Siddle said.

Siddle noted Australia bounced back after big Test defeats against England and South Africa in the past year and a half, and could do so again after a humbling 2-0 series loss to Pakistan in the UAE.

“It’ll probably only take three more weeks. Once we play that first Test the story will change,” he said.

“But you have got to think about it and learn from it. It’s disappointing.”

Siddle and Chris Rogers will be added to Victoria’s XI for their four-day clash with South Australia in Adelaide that starts on Sunday.