Sydney, Oct. 27 (ANI): The chairman of the Australian cricket selection committee, Andrew Hilditch, has given New South Wales opener Phillip Hughes hope about making a comeback to the Test squad for the Australian summer series against the West Indies.

Hughes returned to Sydney yesterday to be told that Hilditch had informed incumbent Test opener Shane Watson to be prepared to bat anywhere in the top six against the West Indies next month.

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hughes, as saying: '' That's the first I've heard of it. Look, as a batsman, you've got to prepare to bat anywhere in the order."

Hughes has been lending his ear to Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer and Simon Katich. The trio have spoken from experience about clawing your way back from oblivion with a mountain of runs in the Sheffield Shield.

Hughes is constantly seeking advice, filtering the good from the garbage. Hayden and Langer have had their say. As has Katich, Hughes's captain at NSW who resurrected his own Test career with a record-breaking season for the Blues when all hope seemed lost.

''It was actually when I first started playing for NSW when 'Katto' came back,'' Hughes said. ''The season he had when that all happened was phenomenal. He just got runs on top of runs, on top of runs, in all forms of the game, and got back in there."

He also praised Watson for his brilliant batting and said that he was happy for him. (ANI)