Australia pace bowler Brett Lee, who says he's in the best condition of his life, is likely to watch the rest of his team's cricket series with India from the pavilion because he can't force his way into the side.
India lost the first of four Tests on Sunday by 217 runs, as the Australian attack limited the world's top-ranked batting lineup to totals of 246 and 239, and the tourists racked up 702 in its two innings. Australia's main bowlers took at least four wickets each and will probably team up again tomorrow in Chennai. The remaining Tests are in Nagpur and Mumbai.
``Any team in the world would like to have a fast bowler like Brett Lee,'' India selector Kiran More, 42, said in an interview. ``The Australians have instead gone for experience, and line-and-length bowlers on the Indian pitches.''
Seeking a first Test series win in India since 1969, Australia selected pace bowlers Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Mike Kasprowicz ahead of Lee, while spinner Shane Warne completed the attack. Lee, who had ankle surgery in March, may have to rely on injury ruling out a colleague to regain his place.
``Playing for Australia is very special but also very competitive,'' opening batsman Matthew Hayden, 32, said in an interview. ``You know, judging from the players left out, you're not far from the knife so we're very inwardly competitive. That stands us in good stead.''
Lee, 27, took seven wickets in his Test debut against India in 1999, including current world No. 1 batsman Rahul Dravid in both innings. He was hit for 276 runs in his final Test in January, against the same opposition in Sydney.
`Best Shape'
He said he ran in to bowl for eight years with his left ankle functioning at 20 percent, and played last season with it broken but was ``too scared to get an x-ray.''
``To bowl pain-free and without the ankle strapped is the most amazing feeling,'' Lee said in an interview before the series started. ``I'm in the best shape of my career mentally and physically.''
His lack of match action isn't deterring marketers. Cricinfo, the sport's biggest Web site, is using a picture of Lee in mid-action to promote its audio coverage of the series.
Lee was involved in a dispute last week involving his employer Cricket Australia and rival telecommunications companies when his image was used to advertise products.
Unwired, which competes with Cricket Australia's main sponsor Hutchison 3G Australia Pty. Ltd., was challenged for using Lee's image to help promote its wireless products. Lawyers for both companies agreed to end their respective campaigns at the Melbourne court.
Extra Pace
Lee, who has 139 wickets in his 37 Tests at an average of 31.66, is rated the fastest bowler in the world along with Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar.
His extra pace has failed to dislodge McGrath, who took six wickets in the first Test and also underwent ankle surgery in the past year. McGrath, 34, is his country's highest wicket-taking fast bowler with 446 victims.
It's 48 years since a player older than 34 opened the bowling for Australia -- that was Keith Miller, who died Oct. 11 aged 84, in 1956-57. Australia's players will wear black armbands at Chepauk's Chidambaram Stadium tomorrow as a tribute to Miller.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting, injured for the first two Tests, summed up the competition for places among his fast bowlers when he predicted before the series there would be ``some tough selections'' to be made.
``They probably all deserve to be in the side,'' Ponting told reporters, ``but only three can play.''