Experienced pace trio backed for Brisbane

Injured paceman James Pattinson and Test legend Mike Hussey have both backed Australia's Ashes-winning fast-bowling trio to do the business again this summer in the four Tests against India.

While a number of young quicks are in the selection mix, particularly incumbent left-armer Mitchell Starc and in-form Blues paceman Josh Hazlewood, Hussey and Pattinson have both endorsed the credentials of Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris to join Mitchell Johnson in the Test XI.

"If those three are fit and well, I would definitely go that way," Hussey told cricket.com.au at the launch of the KFC T20 Big Bash League's partnership with anti-bullying charity, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation.

"They won the Ashes five-nil, they went over to South Africa and won there – I think they deserve first crack at it this summer.

"They're a fantastic bowling group; they all strike up good partnerships and they're almost a team within the team really.

"They complement each other very well and if it was up to me, I'd certainly be selecting them."

Siddle, 29, took just two wickets in Australia's two Tests against Pakistan in the UAE at an average of 108.50, but bounced back superbly with a match-winning spell against the West End Redbacks in the Bupa Sheffield Shield.

Ryan Harris also impressed in the Shield earlier this week, taking four second-innings wickets against the NSW Blues and appearing untroubled by a knee problem for which he has undergone extensive rehabilitation.

Pattinson believes the experienced trio deserve to be reunited at Brisbane for the series opener on December 4.

"After Sidds got five-for on the weekend, it looks like he's bowling really well at the moment," Pattinson said.

"And Ryan Harris, with his performances over the past few years, him and Mitch are probably the first two picked.

"I think it'd be pretty stiff if they don't get a go but obviously there's some other bowlers in great form.

"Hazlewood, Cummins, Starc – that's the great thing about the bowling stocks at the moment, there's so many people."

Pattinson will bowl for the first time since Australia's Test win over South Africa in March when he plays grade cricket for Dandenong next weekend.

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The 24-year-old suffered a back injury that he is gradually recovering from, and he is realistic about the length of the road ahead if he is to return to international cricket.

"(The number of quality fast bowlers) makes my job a lot harder to get back in, but that's cricket and that's the competitive nature that comes with cricket.

"We're all good mates and at the end of the day we're vying for spots and we're going to help each other on the way and whoever gets the job, gets the job."

Hussey also insisted that spin would have a role to play in the Test, and as such he felt the selection of a four-pronged pace attack would be overkill.

"They'll look at the conditions, but I'm not really a fan of the four quicks," he said.

"I think a spin option is important in Test cricket.

"Nathan Lyon actually bowled particularly well last year in the Ashes Test match, and I'd certainly be looking at him for Brisbane.

"You need that balance in an attack, and we've seen him complement the three quicks very well over the past couple of years."