Recalled trouper Matthew Hayden, shooting stars Phil Jaques and Mark Cosgrove and incumbent Simon Katich will duel for the right to partner Adam Gilchrist in the 2007 World Cup after all were named in Australia's king-sized squad to tour Malaysia in September.

Gilchrist was the most notable absentee from the touring party of 18, given extra rest ahead of the ICC Champions' Trophy in India, while Glenn McGrath was named for his anticipated return from compassionate leave.

The recall arrived as a surprise to Hayden, despite his agitating for a spot in the limited overs squad over the off-season.

"I probably didn't expect it but it's a great reward," he said.

"I've trained really hard over the last four months, utilised the time really well and I guess my position was really clear from the start and that was I didn't want to give up my one-day spot."

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said every player in the 18 would be given at least one game over the course of the triangular series against India and West Indies, and Hayden for one was jumping at the opportunity to fight his way back into the first XI.

"It's great - Australian cricket has been built on competition and I've never expected a free lunch in my career," he said.

"It's not a position I feel particularly nervous about."

While Hayden could barely contain his excitement about the tour, Gilchrist has been deemed too valuable to risk in the warm-up event, instead instructed to prepare for the Champions' Trophy at home.

More important than that will be his readiness to perform strongly in the home Ashes series that follows, after dropping off badly when confronted by Andrew Flintoff during the 2005 tour of England.

Hilditch said Gilchrist had reached a mutual agreement with the selectors to rest his nearly 35-year-old frame.

"We're certainly going to be managing key players very carefully over the next 12 months which are so important," Hilditch said.

"He's played a critical role for Australia in both forms of the game for a long time, he's had an extended break which he needed and we thought it was best that he stayed back at home and got ready."

McGrath, meanwhile, may still miss out on a place in the Champions' Trophy side in order to find his white clothing rhythm via first class cricket for NSW.

Hilditch confirmed McGrath was only playing in Malaysia because there was no other cricket for him elsewhere.

A series of startling performances at Kuala Lumpur's Kinrara ground would be of no use to McGrath or anyone else in terms of winning a ticket to India, as the deadline for the final 14 man squad falls on September 7, a day before the Malaysian tour begins.

"Before (the Malaysia tournament) starts that team will have already been picked," Hilditch said.

"The reality is we've been out of international cricket for a while, we see it as a unique opportunity to get ready for the ICC tournament and the Australian summer.

"So I think everybody's going to be a little rusty at times, but Glenn's been training really hard so I think we'll see Glenn McGrath as good as ever."

West Australian Michael Hussey has been named as Ricky Ponting's vice-captain, and they will oversee a side that, for all its supposed accent on youth, features only three players - Mark Cosgrove, Daniel Cullen and Mitchell Johnson - aged under 25.

Australian squad: Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Hussey (v-capt), Nathan Bracken, Andrew Symonds, Mark Cosgrove, Daniel Cullen, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Shane Watson.

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