Heath Streak will not be resuming his Test career on Saturday

None of the Zimbabwe rebels will play in the Test series against Australia even if they are selected.

Reports claim five of the group, Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut, Trevor Gripper, Stuart Carlisle and Ray Price, will be named in the squad.

But lawyer Chris Venturas told BBC Sport: "They definitely won't be playing in the Test."

The International Cricket Council will, meanwhile, debate on Friday whether to downgrade the series.

Stripping the series of Test status would, however, prompt the Australian squad to return home.

"The Australian cricket team has gone to Zimbabwe to play Test and one-day cricket," said Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland.

"If we are not going to play that, then I'm not sure that it is appropriate for us to be there."

The crisis arose after the Zimbabwe Cricket Union sacked Streak of the national team captaincy and replaced him with Tatenda Taibu.

A vastly depleted Zimbabwe were hammered recently at home by Sri Lanka, prompting the ICC to consider the value of Australia's visit.

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"The ZCU has indicated it intends to proceed with these matches as Test matches and I have called a meeting of the ICC executive board to establish clearly if the ICC directors believe that affording these matches Test status is appropriate," said ICC president Ehsan Mani.

One of the rebels, Grant Flower, indicated on Wednesday that they were not ready for five-day cricket but hoped to play in the one-day series.

Venturas said the players has resumed training as a gesture of good faith after a recent ZCU threat to sue them for breach of contract.

He added: "There are some very confusing reports coming out of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

"There was a plan mooted that if the players came back into the fold then any legal action being considered by the ZCU would be dropped.

"The move was initiated by the district associations who have substantial clout, but it seems that isn't the majority view in the ZCU."