Wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi believes his SOS from the airport to the MCG reaffirms his standing at Brad Haddin’s understudy and could help land him a prestigious tour in the next six months.

Ronchi will play in the two Twenty20 matches against South Africa, at the MCG on Sunday night and at the Gabba on Tuesday night as Haddin rests after nine taxing Tests in three months.

Australia said on Saturday now was a good time to rest Haddin, who was feeling the effects of a big workload after the tour of India and the Test series against New Zealand and the Proteas.

Batsman Michael Clarke and fast bowler Mitchell Johnson are others being rested from the Twenty20 series.

Haddin’s breather allows Ronchi to play his first international at home, after four one-dayers and a Twenty20 in the West Indies last year, when a broken finger kept Haddin out.

Ronchi, 27, was surprised by the call-up, which came on Friday as he and his Western Australian teammates were preparing to return home after playing Victoria the previous night.

“You obviously hope to get something at some stage, but being here (in Melbourne) already helped a little bit,” he said.

“I’d literally driven out to the airport, had my bags about to go on the conveyor belt and jumped straight back in a taxi and drove all the way back.

“It was good though, I don’t mind at all.”

Before an expected crowd of 70,000, Ronchi will be out to enjoy himself, be it with the bat or keeping to the likes of speedster Shaun Tait, who could play his first match for his country since exhaustion forced him out of cricket almost a year ago.

But Australia’s demands in 2009 – which includes a tour of South Africa, an Ashes tour, a mooted visit to Pakistan, the Twenty20 world championships and another trip to India – means now is a vital time for a young keeper to be fit and firing.

“Obviously Hadds is going to come straight back in and be the No.1,” Ronchi said.

“I’ve just got to do my best and hopefully I can get my face up there and grab a tour somewhere.”

“After the West Indies I thought about it a bit and sometimes you’re not performing the way you want to and you sort of doubt yourself.

“But for this to come up is a nice little reassuring feeling for myself and it puts my mind in a good place, because I know if I keep performing and do all the right things then hopefully I get another gig at some stage.”

Haddin is expected to play in Friday’s first one-dayer against the Proteas at the MCG.

Batsman Mike Hussey trained on Saturday after being sidelined on Friday by a stomach bug, and will play.

But Australia, who will be out to start the limited-overs stage well after losing the Test series, are yet to finalise their team.

Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (capt), Nathan Bracken, Ryan Harris, Nathan Hauritz, James Hopes, Ben Hilfenhaus, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Shaun Marsh, Luke Ronchi, Shaun Tait, David Warner, Cameron White.

© AAP 2012

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