Clarke in 1st Test squad, gets 2 days to prove fitness

Australia skipper Michael Clarke has been provisonally named in the 13-man squad announced on Monday for the first Test against India in Brisbane from December 4, subject to his complete recovery from a recurring left hamstring injury. As per chairman of Cricket Australia selector Rodney Marsh, Clarke will get a couple of days time (till Wedensday) to prove his fitness and then will be playing the second warm-up game against India on November 28-29. ‘We would have preferred him (Clarke) to play in the round of Sheffield Shield starting on Tuesday but unfortunately his condition did not allow him enough time to be ready for that match.

Clarke needs to be running by Wednesday,’ Marsh told mediapersons in Sydney on Monday while announcing the 13-member squad. ‘The aim is for him to play in the two-day CA XI match against India at the Adelaide Oval starting this Friday and his selection for the first Test is very much dependent on him pulling up well from that match. It goes without saying that Michael is a world-class batsman and it is important that he is 100 per-cent fit to be able to play in the first Test,’ Marsh added. A stand-by batsman has not yet been named by CA in case Clarke fails to make it in time.