KEY POINTS:
India are considering playing two spinners in the first test against Australia starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today.
Captain Anil Kumble yesterday said India might call on a spin attack comprising himself and offspinner Harbhajan Singh.
But Kumble said the tourists would wait until this morning before finalising their side, as he wanted another look at the pitch and conditions before deciding the composition of the attack.
Rain in Melbourne over the past week has hampered the pitch preparation.
Kumble was non-committal on the makeup of his team, but admitted there was a chance both he and Harbhajan could play.
"Yes, there is a case for playing two spinners, but it all depends on how the pitch looks the morning of the match ... we will take a final call tomorrow morning."
Kumble said India were also yet to decide whether veteran Rahul Dravid would move up the order to open the innings, which would ensure there was room in the middle order to accommodate all of the tourists' best batsmen.
Leading fast bowler Zaheer Khan has been declared fit after missing the third test against Pakistan this month because of an ankle injury.
Kumble was confident India had had sufficient build-up for the four-match test series despite a washed out tour match, as the tourists would draw on three recent home tests against Pakistan.
Australia are yet to finalise their side. Captain Ricky Ponting said Australia wanted more time to assess the pitch before deciding on the final XI.
But he admitted the decision between playing spinner Brad Hogg and three fast bowlers and an all-pace attack was a difficult one, and not made easier by a pitch which still appeared damp given the rain in the leadup to the game.
Australia must decide on using a pace attack, which would comprise both Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, on a pitch which would assist the fast bowlers early, although the pitch is likely to take turn later in the match.
"We are just waiting to see if that wicket bakes up today or tomorrow morning, it's still very, very damp," Ponting said.
But Ponting was confident whichever way Australia went, he would have a better bowling attack than the one pitted against India four seasons ago, when the home side struggled against India's strong batting lineup.
* THE SQUADS
AUSTRALIA (FROM) Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Phil Jaques, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait (12th man to be named).
INDIA (FROM) Anil Kumble (captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Zaheer Khan, VVS Laxman, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Pankaj Singh, RP Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar.
- AAP
