A knee injury to wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist will give Australia a peek at how a new opening partnership handles Pakistan's pace attack in Sunday's triangular one-day series cricket match at Bellerive Oval.

Gilchrist will miss the game because of a left knee he suffered during Friday night's win over the West Indies at the MCG, and his absence will deny the Hobart crowd a sequel to the 172 he creamed against Zimbabwe last year.

Fast bowler Jason Gillespie will also miss out because of a minor calf injury, but both stars could return against the West Indies in Brisbane on Friday.

Gillespie experienced pain in his right calf in his eighth over before he left the ground with figures of 0-29, while Gilchrist experienced pain and swelling as he kept in the latter stages of Australia's 116-run win.

Gilchrist complained of discomfort to physiotherapist Errol Alcott and scans confirmed he had irritated soft tissue in the joint.

With Matthew Hayden also being rested, NSW keeper Brad Haddin has another chance to press for a berth as reserve gloveman for this year's Ashes squad.

Haddin is one of three candidates to open the batting against Pakistan firebrand Shoaib Akhtar, along with Michael Clarke and Simon Katich, who has been cleared of a throat infection.

Clarke, Katich and Haddin have opened for Australia's one-day side eight times between them and of the trio, Clarke has had by far the most success, with a century in Zimbabwe last year and 66 on Friday.

Katich opened in the second of his six ODIs - and made two - and Haddin has started in the past four of his seven matches.

Although Haddin has not passed 13 at the top, he's enjoying a career-best season which included a sparkling 129 for Australia A against Pakistan in the 50-over match in Adelaide on Wednesday.

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