Lehmann considering second-Test changes

The change in captain forced upon Australia’s selectors may not be the sole alteration to the XI that takes to the Gabba for the second Commonwealth Bank Test against India beginning on Wednesday.

Even before the full extent of damage to his right hamstring was assessed, captain Michael Clarke knew it contained sufficient bad news to rule himself out of the remainder of the four-Test series and to concede his longer-term future is unclear.

Shaun Marsh was added to the team last night as Clarke’s replacement, while left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc was also added to the expanded 13-man squad to provide additional pace options heading into the second Test.

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But national selector and coach Darren Lehmann has also confirmed the workloads required of his fast bowlers to prise out 20 Indian wickets on a flat Adelaide Oval pitch might demand a reshaping of the pace attack given the three-day turnaround between Tests.Image Id: ~/media/8DB9F9A0C4BE4B39974BDE1A670F76D4

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As the battle-worn and celebration-weary Australian Test squad and support staff travelled to Brisbane this afternoon, Lehmann confirmed an assessment of how well the incumbent quicks had got through would need to be conducted thoroughly and quickly.

“Might need to, we’ll have to see how they all pull up,” Lehmann said when asked if there was a case to freshen up the bowling personnel that was involved in the physically demanding and emotionally draining final day in Adelaide.

“If they are 100 per cent (fit) they play.

“A couple of them are a little bit sore but in the next day or two we’ll know.

“It’s a quick turnaround.”

While 34-year-old Ryan Harris was always going to face the biggest challenge to front up for another new-ball assignment with such a short interval between Tests, having played little top-level cricket since undergoing knee surgery last March, fellow seamer Peter Siddle will also be closely monitored.Image Id: ~/media/1A043E9D736F4506BC3C324428789DF0

Siddle was unwell during India’s first innings last Thursday and was forced from the field several times to recuperate.

His condition restricted him to 18.4 overs (2-88) in the first innings, and he delivered just nine overs (0-21) yesterday as Australia surged to a 48-run win on the back of Nathan Lyon’s match-winning 12-wicket haul.

Lehmann has always insisted that his pace bowlers regularly nudge the speed gun at around 140kph and the fact that Siddle began yesterday’s spell in the high 120s and peaked at 137kph shortly after might open the door for young, tall quick Josh Hazlewood who was 12th man in Adelaide.

“(Siddle was) a little bit unwell in the first innings, (and did not bowl a lot in India’s) second innings, but that’s the nature of the game sometimes,” Lehmann said when asked if the Victorian paceman’s place in the starting XI would be up for discussion now that Starc has been added to the squad.

“He bowled tightly and that’s what we need from him.

“Obviously we need (him) to get some more wickets if we possibly can.

“He knows that but he’s working and doing everything he can behind the scenes.”

Another who Lehmann confirmed is feeling the need to return a significant performance is opener Chris Rogers, who has not scored a half-century in the eight innings since his most recent Test hundred against South Africa in Port Elizabeth last February.Image Id: ~/media/9B43AA4EF8A74761889A2DE81752494E

However the Bupa Support Team coach said the veteran left-hander, who has been involved in two century opening partnerships and a pair of 50 stands with the in-form David Warner over that time, brought other attributes that are valued by his fellow selectors Rod Marsh, Trevor Hohns and Mark Waugh.

“He (Rogers) is a great foil for David Warner, and we love that as a selection panel,” Lehmann said today.

“But like everyone you need to make some runs.

“He knows he needs to make some runs there’s no hiding from the fact but he’s put on some really good partnerships in the last 18 months and been a great foil behind the scenes - a lot of things you guys (media) don’t see.

“So we’re really pleased with where he’s at, (but) we’d obviously like him to make some more runs.”

Lehmann also acknowledged – though he could not rule out the possibility of another Baggy Green cap being flung into the ring – that vice-captain Brad Haddin was the frontrunner to be the selectors’ recommendation as stand-in skipper, a decision that then needs to be ratified by the CA Board.Image Id: ~/media/AE5F3643BA7143B78A7EBF9CFA8253C4

Haddin certainly received strong endorsement from Clarke following the Test’s completion last night, shortly before the injured skipper hobbled back to the dressing room farewelling the gathered media pack with “enjoy the rest of the summer”.

"Hadds did a fantastic job," Clarke said of Haddin’s leadership in the last half of yesterday’s final day when the Australians steamrolled India’s batting in the ultimate session to go 1-0 up in the four-Test series.

"He has got a lot of other senior players around him which I'm sure would have helped him, they certainly help me when I'm out there.

"And I have got all the faith in the world that things won't change in the next three Tests matches with Brad in charge, if he is the captain.

"I'm very confident he will do a wonderful job and he has got a lot of support."

More will be known of Clarke’s immediate future in the coming days, but the 33-year-old conceded last night he faces an uphill battle to return for the upcoming Carlton Mid ODI tri-series against India and England that precedes the World Cup, which begins in February.

And Lehmann would also not be drawn on the selectors’ appetite for taking a skipper with such a vexed recent fitness record – three significant hamstring injuries and a debilitating back problem since August – into one-day cricket’s showpiece event.

“He (Clarke) knows he needs to be fully fit for one-day cricket,” Lehmann said.

“He was magnificent in this (first) Test and he’s been magnificent the last few weeks.

“But he needs to get it (his fitness) right – we know that, he knows that.

“One-day cricket is an explosive game and we need guys fully fit all the time.”