Hussey backs Katich over brother
By Adam Cooper
September 07, 2008 MIKE Hussey has put family second by backing Simon Katich to retain his spot in Australia's Test team.
With Andrew Symonds unlikely to tour India this month as he weighs up his future, the decision of who bats in the middle order is one the Australian selectors will confront this week, before they announce the squad.
Symonds' absence could open a spot for David Hussey as an attacking batsman at No.5 or No.6 and part-time spinner.
Mike Hussey was hopeful Symonds would return, but if not, he believed Katich should get the nod.
He did, however, say his younger brother deserved consideration.
"Simon Katich played so well in the West Indies ... he'd probably be the No.1 pick at this stage of the guys who weren't in if Matthew Hayden came back in," Mike Hussey said.
Katich opened in the Caribbean with success in Hayden's absence through an Achilles problem, but would drop down the order if both men played in the first Test, in Bangalore starting October 9.
The progress of Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting, after wrist surgery in the winter, will be monitored this week.
Another area needing addressing is the choice of spinners, as candidates Beau Casson (adductor) and Bryce McGain (shoulder) were injured in a tour game in India last week, playing for Australia A.
Both are hopeful of playing in a three-day game against India A, in Hyderabad starting this week.
Hussey admitted Australia were far from settled on selection issues, but said the players who missed the one-day series against Bangladesh in Darwin could benefit from having time off to freshen their minds.
"It might work as an advantage," he said.
"Speaking for myself, coming into this (one-day) series, I had a good month off and then two weeks of hard work and then I'm feeling fresh ... that freshness is going to be important going to India as well."
In between thrashing Bangladesh in the Top End, Australia's players loaded up on strength and conditioning work and used the Darwin humidity to simulate conditions in India.
Hussey's own preparation was excellent, as he scored 85, eight not out and an unbeaten 57 on slow wickets, and was named man of the series.
He insisted batting positively, and picking off singles, was the key to avoid being bogged down by India's spinners on the subcontinent.
"If they're just bowling ball after ball at you and you're looking to survive, they're going to get you out, there's no question," he said.
"So you need to be able to tick it over, need to be able to score and put the pressure back on them a little bit."
Hussey is yet to play a Test in India, and said winning a series there was the toughest challenge in the world game.
"The team that won in '04, they said that was probably their Everest," he said.
"I don't think that's changing.
"India are up there in the top two or three teams in the world and I think it's going to be a wonderful series.
"It's probably the hardest place to win in international cricket."
Australia depart on September 21 and play two warm-up matches before the first Test.
