Pakistan-born bowler Fawad Ahmed has been tipped to give England a stern examination this summer after being called into Australia's Ashes squad on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old, who sought asylum in Australia in 2010 before securing residency two years later, is one of 17 players selected for both the five-Test series and a preceding tour of the West Indies.

Ahmed took 48 wickets during Victoria's triumphant Sheffield Shield campaign, catching the eye of national selector Rod Marsh, who feels the spinner can make life difficult for England's batsmen when the Ashes series starts in July.

"Him being a leg-spinner as opposed to a finger spinner gave him a slight advantage," Marsh said at a press conference organised to announce the squad.

"Believe it or not, Australia is always looking for leg-spinners. We've had a proud history of leg-spinning in this country and we want that to continue.

"(Ahmed) doesn't bowl too much rubbish and he creates a lot of pressure.

"He has men around the bat in most instances and he keeps asking the batsmen questions, which is what good spinners do.

"He maintains good economy and asks questions of both left and right-handers, bearing in mind that England may have up to seven left-handers."

There was no place for all-rounder Glenn Maxwell despite his World Cup heroics but Adam Voges, the scorer of 1358 runs in Shield cricket last season, will be on the plane departing for the West Indies on May 19.

One-day specialist Maxwell, named in the International Cricket Council's team of the tournament following Sunday's triumph over New Zealand in Melbourne, made only 41 runs and failed to take a wicket against Pakistan in his last Test appearance for the Baggy Green back in October.

Marsh said of Voges: "I looked at him on four or more occasions and I thought 'I don't know how anyone will get this bloke out', he was that dominant.

"It wasn't just the 1300-odd runs, it was the way he made them.

"It was as good a Sheffield Shield batting as I have ever seen. Pure weight of runs, the way in which he got those runs, you could see Test player written all over him."

While fast bowler Ryan Harris is included, he will remain in Australia throughout the tour of the West Indies, which begins in Dominica on June 5, as he anticipates the birth of his first child.

After the second Test in Jamaica - scheduled to conclude on June 17 - he will travel to the United Kingdom to reunite with his team-mates ahead of the first Ashes Test at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on July 8.

James Pattinson misses the trip to the Caribbean due to an injured left hamstring but will be observed over the coming weeks and may become an option later in the Australian winter.

New South Wales wicket-keeper Peter Nevill is included in a Test squad for the first time after scoring 764 runs throughout the Shield campaign.

"Peter Nevill has been on our radar for some time and deserves his opportunity through weight of runs and performances behind the stumps," said Marsh.

"He has also demonstrated impressive leadership qualities which have caught our eye."

Also travelling are skipper Michael Clarke and his vice-captain Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon.

Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, David Warner and Shane Watson complete the selection.

Marsh told cricketaustralia.com: "The Test team has performed very well in recent times, but the big challenge is to do that away from home.

"We believe this squad has sufficient depth for these important Test matches against the West Indies and England and will give us the best chance of success."

The inclusion of Voges comes as a blow to Middlesex, who had appointed the 35-year-old batsman as captain of their LV= County Championship side over the winter.

Ironically that role was given to Voges as his compatriot and last season's skipper Chris Rogers was expected to be absent for most of the season due to international commitments.

Voges will be available to play in Middlesex's first four championship games but the London county must now search for a replacement.

A statement from Middlesex said: "All of us at Middlesex are naturally delighted for Adam on his deserved inclusion in the squad, however this does leave us with the difficult problem of needing to find a replacement overseas player for the 2015 season with some immediacy.

"Given the record-breaking form that Adam has been in this winter in the Sheffield Shield for Western Australia, his call up to the Australian squad became increasingly likely with every run scored, and towards the end of the Shield campaign became almost an inevitability, so we have for some time been working on a contingency plan in the event that this became a reality.

"Conversations have been had, a shortlist of suitable players has been drawn up, and in light of this morning's announcement by Cricket Australia we can now begin to formalise these plans to secure a replacement."

Lancashire will also be on the lookout for an overseas replacement to Siddle, whose call-up was rather more expected.

Director and head coach Ashley Giles said: "Although it's pretty frustrating for us we are over the moon for Peter.

"When you sign an international bowler of his calibre there is always a possibility that this will happen but we are still hopeful that Peter will be available for the start of our LV= County Championship campaign.

"The hunt for a replacement begins now."