Australia's incumbent wicketkeeper is proving the old adage that it's harder to get out of the Australian cricket team than it is to get in it.

Despite turning in progressively more incompetent performances with bat and gloves, Brad Haddin remains his chippy self behind the stumps and continues to be allowed to play his natural game at number seven. Deputising for the injured Shane Watson, the calamitous keeper could even captain the national side in the third Test in Perth If Michael Clarke is forced to withdraw.

For all the developments under the new selection regime, John Inverarity has, like Haddin, dropped the ball on this one.

The New South Welshman's performances behind the stumps in the ongoing series against India have been little short of embarrassing. In Melbourne he made a dreadful mess of a routine catch to dismiss Virender Sehwag off James Pattinson's bowling. In Sydney, he again blunted the Victorian's figures with an even worse misjudgement with Gautam Gambhir at the crease. The crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in the same innings will go down as a Mike Hussey catch, because the klutzy keeper could not hold on to the chance himself.

Haddin was never selected for his masterly glove work. Contemporaries like Graham Manou and Luke Ronchi have long been superior technicians but Haddin's finer batting ability always had him at the front of the queue to replace Adam Gilchrist. The problem is his batting has been lousy for some time, rendering the scrutiny of his day-job ever more pertinent.

The year of Haddin's debut, 2008, he averaged 39 in Tests with the bat. In 2009 that rose to 44, returning again to 39 in 2010. These are perfectly acceptable figures for a number seven in an inconsistent, transitional side. The problem is that in 2011 he averages just 21, a figure made worse by the irresponsible nature of many of his recent dismissals, too often blithely admonished as the downside of his ‘natural game.'

As Australia turns to youth, there now seems little point persevering with a 34-year-old who has never been an elite wicketkeeper and is now no longer an elite batsman.

Out of form for such a long time, Haddin's place must not rely on runs or keeping ability. His continued selection must be justified by his experience, his voice in the dressing room and his positive effect on Michael Clarke. Using the same criteria, Australia would be as well including fielding coach, Steve Rixon, a 13-Test veteran behind the stumps, experienced strategist for NSW and mentor to the youthful skipper.

The greatest frustration of watching Haddin parry catches like a strong-wristed goalkeeper is the probability that if Tim Paine was fit we wouldn't have to. The Tasmanian has been groomed as the long-term heir to Gilly's keeper-batsman throne for some time but brittle fingers have sidelined him for most of the past two seasons.

That's not to say there are no other keepers in Australia. Matthew Wade has performed strongly for Victoria, Peter Nevill is earning a reputation in NSW, and the aforementioned Ronchi and Manou could provide assured, if not necessarily forward-looking presences.

There is a reluctance to rock the boat here though. As if an invisible shield has been drawn around Haddin, and by extension Paine, which prevents any rivals from being seen to jump the queue. As James Pattinson and Pat Cummins have shown with the ball, and David Warner with the bat, there are advantages to serving only short apprenticeships.

And here's the crux. What does Australia have to lose from dropping Haddin? His performances are so poor at present the NSP has almost a golden ticket with which to experiment. The stated medium-term target is the 2013 Ashes in England; will the return to form of an almost 36-year old make any difference to that objective? Or would the early exposure to Test cricket for someone like Wade provide Australia with extra depth in an area it is only ever likely to have six or seven first class options to choose from at any one time.

If the trial works out, it could create a genuine challenge to Paine, on his return. History shows that such rivalries stimulate ever-higher standards of performance.

If the debutant fails, so what? It's unlikely they could do much worse than the incumbent.

There is probably no better time to blood a new face than 2-0 up in a four-Test home series against a demoralised opposition. Add in the already liberal sprinkling of other greenhorns in Australia's squad and the conditions could hardly be more fertile.

By retaining Haddin Australia is rewarding underperformance. By neglecting options other than Paine it is falling into the trap of recent seasons whereby international mediocrity was given greater head than domestic excellence.

It is time Brad Haddin played his natural game without a baggy green cap on his head.