KEY POINTS:
Australia might be battling to avoid a test series defeat in India, but New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori rates them as still the biggest challenge in world cricket.
The Black Caps are preparing to head across the Tasman next week for a four-day warm-up match against New South Wales in Sydney before tests in Brisbane and Adelaide.
The Australians, meanwhile, start the fourth and final test against India today down 0-1 after their crushing 320-run defeat in the second test at Mohali.
Ricky Ponting's men are in a rebuilding phase, having lost the vast experience of Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath to retirement.
But Vettori today said Australia remained the top side in the world, "particularly in their own conditions".
"They are going to come back pretty strong and they have an exceptional batting lineup," he said.
"Maybe where they have struggled a little bit is that lack of quality spinner. In a place like India, you always get found out with that.
"In Australia, you may not need that as much, but I still see them as the toughest ask in world cricket."
With the `Gabba ground in Brisbane expected to provide far more bounce than the Black Caps experienced on their tour of Bangladesh last month, the New Zealand squad announced today featured five specialist pace bowlers.
They include Chris Martin, who returns to international duty after missing the trip to Bangladesh because of a hamstring injury.
The 15-man squad named are for only the first test beginning on November 20 and there is no room for Jeetan Patel, leaving left-armer Vettori as the sole spinner.
However, Patel remains in the frame to operate in tandem with Vettori in the second test the following week at the more spinner-friendly Adelaide Oval.
Also missing is Jacob Oram, who has a back injury, with Vettori set to assume more of Oram's allrounder role.
Vettori described Oram as the Black Caps' best and most important player and said his unavailability was a huge loss.
His absence made the team harder to select in terms of getting the right balance "but you also just take quality out of the team".
Vettori is hopeful Oram will be right by the time of the West Indies' visit to New Zealand beginning next month.
He does not believe the greater responsibility he will now have with the bat will affect his job as skipper.
"My theory on captaincy is that you lead with your performance, so I'm putting myself in those positions where I can give myself the most opportunity," he said.
"Batting at seven and doing the majority of the bowling is the best way to do that."
Of the 15 players named in the squad, batsman Peter Fulton will remain in New Zealand to play domestic cricket.
Back-up wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins will travel to Brisbane on the eve of the first test and remain until play starts as cover for Brendon McCullum.
Black Caps squad
Daniel Vettori (captain), Aaron Redmond, Jamie How, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Daniel Flynn, Brendon McCullum, Grant Elliott, Gareth Hopkins, Tim Southee, Iain O'Brien, Kyle Mills, Mark Gillespie, Chris Martin.
- NZPA
