Selectors wake up "sleeper" Haddin.

IT was when Australia returned from last year's revenue-raising tri-series in Malaysia that strong whispers about Brad Haddin's international claims began spreading.

The powerful 29 year old played that tournament against India and West Indies when Adam Gilchrist was rested, and was his team's leading run-scorer.

It is understood that his captain, Ricky Ponting, later proclaimed Haddin was better than any other Australia batsman in that series and that list included Ponting, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds.

So while his inclusion in Australia's 15-man World Cup squad surprised many - he has not played an international match since that Kuala Lumpur outing last September - Haddin has long been on the selectors' minds.

FoxSports.com.au