MELBOURNE (REUTERS) - Australia have named a trio of unproven all-rounders in their Test squad for the tour of India and thrown a life-line to discarded spinner Xavier Doherty as they scramble to find a winning combination ahead of back-to-back Ashes campaigns.

Following Mike Hussey's retirement, the selectors have gambled on uncapped all-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Moises Henriques with the duo set to vie for the veteran batsman's No. 6 spot during the four-Test series starting in February.

Five-Test all-rounder Steven Smith was also named in the 17-man squad released on Thursday, two years after being dumped in the wake of Australia's 2010-11 Ashes humbling by England on home soil.

Two-test Doherty, another casualty of that series, will be expected to provide support for fellow spinner Nathan Lyon in India, where Australia have not won a Test since 2004.

Squad: Michael Clarke (captain), Shane Watson, David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phillip Hughes, Matthew Wade, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson, Jackson Bird, Xavier Doherty, Moises Henriques, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Peter Siddle.