Lee's loss puts spanner in works

SYDNEY - Brett Lee is not indispensable but he's proving mighty difficult to replace.

Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh spent over an hour with the national selectors today discussing the make-up of the squad to tour India - and most of that discussion focused how to fill the void left by the injured Lee.

Lee, the fastest bowler in Australia if not the world, underwent an operation today for an injured elbow and will miss the eight-week tour to India.

Waugh said his absence has "thrown a spanner in the works" - putting a dent in Australia's plan to blast India with a pace barrage.

"Brett would have been an automatic selection and his injury has changed things quite a bit - there've been a lot of names tossed up in the last hour or so," Waugh said.

"It has changed our way of thinking a little bit."

The team will named on Thursday morning.

The dilemma faced by the selectors was whether to press on with their pace theory or add another spinner to take advantage of the slow, turning pitches the team is likely to encounter.

"I still think (pace) is the way to go but there's also a possibility of us using spin," Waugh said.

"Pace is something the Indians don't like too much and aren't all that used to but if you've got two excellent spinners it doesn't mean you can't use them either."

The other factor determining the make-up of the squad was whether 14 or 15 players tour.

The argument for 15 was based on the fact Jason Gillespie was again working his way back from injury while Damien Fleming and Shane Warne have played little cricket outside the one-day arena where they bowl only 10 overs a time.

But with an expanded squad, Waugh said one or two players could be left with little to do as there are only two lead-up matches outside the three Tests. Gillespie will make his return to first-class cricket for South Australia on Friday and Waugh said the injury-prone quick would have to prove himself. "Jason Gillespie's a little bit of a concern - he is a bit vulnerable (to injury) and if he's going to play in India he has to do some work before that ... but we know he's been training well."

Most of the squad pick themselves with Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden likely to continue as the opening pair, with Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting assured of middle order berths.

The batting query lies with Justin Langer, who battled through the Test series for an average of 25.37 against the West Indies and has been out of form for WA this summer, scoring 60 runs in three bats for an average of 20. Damien Martyn has been in such good form he will almost certainly tour the sub-continent and could almost claim Langer's place in the team.

Waugh has been an outspoken fan of Martyn and said earlier this year the WA batsman was on track to play a lot more Test cricket.

Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Gillespie, Fleming and Colin Miller are others who will need their passports when the team departs next Tuesday from Melbourne.

That's 13 players.

If another spinner was picked it would be Stuart MacGill, but if the team took another quick a case can be made for Andy Bichel who performed well when called up against the West Indies this summer.

Fellow Queenslander Michael Kasprowicz has performed superbly in India in the past but may be shy of the necessary match fitness after making a comeback from a shoulder injury.

Others in the fray are New South Wales rising star Nathan Bracken, whose leftarmers would give the team a different look, and his team-mate Don Nash, who continues to impress with his ability to bowl and bat with explosive force.

By bringing Bracken into the team for the one-dayers, the selectors have already shown they are prepared to look to left field with some success.

A probable touring team is: Steve Waugh (c), Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Damien Fleming, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Colin Miller, Nathan Bracken.