Give Katich the ball - Inbox at Cricinfo

Without debating the merits of the selection, surely with a Monday arrival, White won't be match ready by Wednesday. Now, with Jason Krejza's 0/123 at an economy rate of 6.15 in the first innings of the tour match against the Indian Board President's XI, it is time for Katich to loosen up. Krejza simply doesn't appear up to the task and his First Class career statistics of just 43 wickets at an average of 45.46 from 23 games doesn't make good reading.

By contrast Katich has 86 First Class wickets at 37.41. Better still, his 12 Test wickets have come at 33.83. Katich is a better, more experienced bowler. And while it may be tempting to consider that even a jet-lagged White, as the 'specialist' spinner, would be a better selection than a part-timer, it is worth noting that White's average and strike-rate at First Class level is inferior to that of Katich.

Not picking a specialist spinner and giving the bulk of spinning duties to Katich has other benefits. Australia's batsman have so far underperformed on tour; the addition of an extra batsman would help bolster the line up. In this scenario Australia won't be short of bowlers; the addition of allrounder Watson to the trio of Lee, Clark and Johnson makes for a healthy pace attack. Additionally Michael Clarke, who has an unbelievable bowling record in India, can provide support.

Clarke's back troubles make it impractical for him to bowl a large number of overs, Katich, however, has no such problem. The year after moving from WA to play for NSW Katich bowled 141 overs in picking up 32 First Class wickets at 22.21. A performance that caused Stuart McGill to remark, "When he came to NSW I identified him as the second best spin bowler in NSW by head and shoulders. He's got the potential to be a great all rounder for Australia." He followed it up with a further 17 wickets the following season before he took over the State captaincy. And this is the problem for the selectors, as captain Katich rarely bowls and so we have seen little of his talent as a wrist spinner since. Seemingly Katich' modesty is depriving Australia of an exciting spinner.

An exception to his bowling exile came this May when Ponting threw him the ball in an Australians tour match against the Jamaica Select XI. Katich picked up match figures of 6/66, afterward telling reporters that he has never stopped bowling in the nets. Just as well, it looks like he will be needed.

If the selectors do make what would be seen by many as the brave move of entrusting Katich with the spinning duties, it won't be without precedent. Michael Bevan, coincidentally another NSW batsman and left-arm chinaman, was picked for his bowling abilities in the 1996-97 series against the West Indies: he took 15 wickets in the series and had match figures of 10/113 in Adelaide. Katich has every chance of equalling that feat.

Hi I am a very staunch Aussie supporter right from 1962 as a 7 year old and have been ardently following the Oz fortunes since then till date. I thoroughly agree with Daniel Cotton's views on spinning options. Krejza & White will not help the Oz beat India. Pup & Katich can be trusted as better options. My team for the 1st test will be - Haydos, Jacques, Ricky, Pup, Hussey, Katich, Watto,Haddin,Lee, Johnson & Stuey. This way the batting will be stronger upto Haddin and bowling options better - Lee, Stuey, Johnson & Watto with Pup & Katich providing the spin option. With this team am confident Oz can put up a very good show and even win the 1st test. High time Punter put some runs on the board in Indian conditions as he is too good to leave with a poor average only in India. I expect Haydos, Pup & Hussey to also bat very well. Fitness is very important and hence the above XI should hopefully stay away from injuries. Hope 2004 series result is repeated if not better in favour of the Oz

As an aussie supporter, I would have to say it's time for us to face up to the fact that we don't have a first rate spinner at the moment. My team would be: haydos, katich, ricky, hussey, clarke, watson, white, haddin, lee, johnson & clark. The four seamers are good enough to do some damage & the part-time spin of white, katich & clarke is handy. Plus, batting down to 8 (with the three seamers acceptable with the bat) means in theory, we should post lots of runs. Granted white's bowling is untested, but if your spinner is going to leak runs, he may as well be able to score some? This would compensate for the lack of quality spin. Not ideal of course, but you have to make do with what you've got...

A reasonable team in my opinion would be:

1. Phil Jaques
2. Matthew Hayden
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Simon Katich
5. Michael Clarke
6. Michael Hussey
7. Brad Haddin
8. Shane Watson
9. Brett Lee
10. Mitchell Johnson
11. Stuart Clark

You have batsman down to 8, a good pace attack in Lee, Clark and Johnson (I dont rate Watson, personally) and a fair spin attack with Katich and Clarke's useful parttimers being chucked in.

Obviously this isnt the team that will be used, however if I had my choice, this is what I would probably pick. Ive always liked the thought of using opening batsman to bat at around 6, personally. I think its because of Australia's success with Michael Bevan and Michael Hussey in those positions.

But in short, Kat and Pup to get the nod as spinners for me.

My team list for Australia is the same as that of JasonC (except that I would have Ronchi in for Haddin). The two best spin bowlers available in Australia at the moment are Clarke and Katich. Picking another spinner just so you can say there is a 'specialist' spinner seems a waste of time. I wonder whether Katich has the same issue that Michael Bevan used to have - wanting to be picked on batting alone, and not as an all-rounder. For all his woes about being constantly dropped when he is performing well, all he needs to do is come out and say he wants to be considered as an all-rounder, and will do all the bowling required, and he may never be dropped again.

Jason C - since when was Bevan an opening bat?

I'm a bit disappointed with Ponting's habit of picking the team, rather than leaving that job to the selectors - but having done it we know that Watson will play as a fourth seamer.
I don't rate Krejza as a bowler and couldn't believe he was picked to tour. I think Cullen or Hauritz would have been better choices. But with the personnel in India at the moment, I think Katich should shoulder some bowling responsibility. He adds some variation to the attack and is underrated.
I'm sure the selectors were just waiting for an excuse to pick White, as he seems to be a favourite, so I expect him to play. Hopefully his batting will make up for his bowling, as I don't see him having much penetration.
Clarke might is ok but I don't expect a repeat of his 6/9 - that was a fluke on an absolute minefield.
I expect White to be Australia's spin option, though hopefully Ponting might learn from the last India series and give the part-timers a bowl

Totally agree. Why pick a second-rate inexperienced "specialist" spinner to bowl against a strong spin playing side, when you could pick a first class pace bowler who could easily trouble the Indians (Bollinger) to bowl along with Katich/Clarke.
Katich, Hayden, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, Watson Haddin, Lee, Johnson, Clark, Bollinger.
I think oz will need the extra batting and a four man pace attack of that quality would trouble any side on any pitch. Maybe Bollinger is the secret weapon? Not playing him in the warm-up in front of Siddle seems a strange choice.
Even White instead to bolster the batting and give some rest time to the quicks would be better than picking a young/inexperienced spinner. Our last series win in India showed that (even with Warne taking wickets) a strong&disciplined pace attack will win matches in India.

I think that White can do just as good a job as Krejza. So, therefore, the obvious move is to have White in for the extra batting, have Katich instead of Jaques, and you have 4 paceman and three part time spinners.

Do not rate Katich too highly - if he was a frontline spinner he would be bowled way more often (by himself and by Ponting).

Team:

1. Hayden
2. Katich
3. Ponting
4. Hussey
5. Clarke
6. Watson
7. White
8. Haddin
9. Lee
10. Johnson
11. Clark

Go aussies!!!

So, in the final session of the 1st day of the 3rd test we have finally seen Simon Katich with the ball. In his 6 overs he was more economical than Clarke or White (who has been leaking runs like crazy) and was way more threatening. With his second ball he took the outside edge. Twice more he beat the outside edge as batsman failed to pick his wrong'un and he was unlucky to have an LBW turned down that hawk-eye said was out.

Katich was bowling so well that Ponting decided to delay taking the new ball for a few overs. That says something given the state of the match at the time. Yet Ponting failed to provide him with any sort of attacking field - just one slip - wilkie it seems you have a point!

In the mean time Krezja has been overlooked again and Clarke appears to have picked up a back injury from all the overs he has been bowling.