Brad Haddin believes his bad run left him vulnerable from the Ashes team after he had sat out of the second Test citing personal issues.

The Australian wicketkeeper was replaced by uncapped Peter Nevill and he played a key role by claiming a record seven catches and scored 45 runs in Australia’s series-levelling 405-run victory at Lord’s.

Haddin, who had averaged 15.24 in his last 12 Tests with just one fifty, was kept out by the Australian selectors for the rest of the series, which they eventually lost 3-2.

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Australia coach Darren Lehmann termed the call to exclude Haddin as the “the hardest decision I’ve had to make as a coach, or even as a player.”

The 37-year-old Haddin, who is now back in Australia and weighing up his future in the game, says his recent form meant he was no guarantee to return to the side after the Lord’s match.

“I put myself in that position to not come back, my performances with the bat probably hadn’t been where they should be.

“I made the decision for my family that I was unavailable for the Lord’s Test. We’re playing a professional sport and I understand the consequences that come with that. My performances with the bat over the last little bit put myself into that position,” he told Fairfax.