Brad Haddin races against time to be fit for first Test against India Always the professional: Brad Haddin. Australian vice-captain Brad Haddin will have to wait another week to know if he will be fit to play in the first Test against India after hurting his shoulder. The veteran is facing a race against time to be at the Gabba, with selectors likely to insist he proves his fitness behind the stumps before heading to Brisbane. The 37-year-old received treatment on his right shoulder in Sydney after returning to Australia with the squad from Abu Dhabi, where he landed awkwardly on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan. He was cleared of a fracture but has been left with severe bruising after stretching for a catch. He remains in doubt for the series opener and will not know until midway through next week if it has healed, when he is expected to test itat training. The first Test begins at the Gabba on December 4. It is likely that selectors will want him to show the shoulder is up to the rigours of a five-day match by appearing for NSW in a Sheffield Shield encounter against South Australia, beginning at the SCG on November 25. If Haddin is not passed fit to play in Brisbane there are a list of candidates around the country lining up to wear the gloves, from Queensland's Chris Hartley, Haddin's one-day understudy and former Test keeper Matthew Wade and the emerging Sam Whiteman in Western Australia. But selectors need not look far for a replacement if the veteran is not fit for the Gabba, argues NSW chairman of selectors David Freedman. Peter Nevill, who stood in as Blues captain this season, boasts a first-class average of 40 and, according to Freedman, is "certainly the equal of any one else in the country" behind the stumps. We're really well off for keeper-batters around the country at the moment and I'm sure any one of them would do an excellent job if called upon. But obviously knowing Nev as I do, he'd do a wonderful job," Freedman said. He's the ultimate professional ... just the way he conducts himself on and off the field, his attention to detail, he's batted everywhere in the top seven for us and made a fist of any one of a number of positions. He's one of the most professional guys I've ever worked with and I'm sure whatever level he played at, he'd make a great fist of it. The 29-year-old was called onto Australia's tour of the West Indies in 2012 to be the back-up to Wade when No.1 keeper Haddin flew home for family reasons. "He gets tough runs for us," Freedman said. He opens the batting in one-day cricket and is a perfect foil for the Warners and the Maddinsons and those players at the other end. He's formed good partnerships with them and he bats really well with the tail. Last week in Melbourne [in the Shield] was a good example of that - he was not out in both innings and eked out some last-wicket partnerships with the tailenders. There are any number of roles he can do with the bat.