Teenage pace sensation Patrick Cummins has been selected in the Australian squad for the Test tour in South Africa.
The 18-year-old, who has already been dubbed as superstar, will become second youngest Test player in Australian cricket history if he debuts against the Proteas next month.
Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said the New South Welshman had champion potential.
"We obviously need to produce two or three young champions in the next couple of years if we are going to get back to the top of Test cricket, and he's certainly one we think could be," said Hilditch at the squad announcement in Adelaide on Monday.
"I don't think it's a gamble. We (selectors) think he is going to be real good and it's definitely, in our view, the right time to bring him into the squad," he said.
Cummins has played just three first-class games but could become the youngest Australian to play a Test since Ian Craig in 1952/53, The Age reports.
Asked if Cummins was the next superstar of Australian cricket, Hilditch replied: "We're hoping so. We have got to be careful, we are building it up in the sense that he's 18 and he's in the Test squad for Australia, so it's a massive thing."
"But we don't want to put too high expectations on him. He's certainly in our view one of the most exciting prospects that have come along for some time," he added.
The first Test starts on November 9 in Cape Town, with the second Test in Johannesburg from November 17.
Australia Teat squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson (vice-capt), Michael Beer, Trent Copeland, Patrick Cummins, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Phil Hughes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, UsmanKhawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle.
