Denesh Ramdin in hot seat?

Denesh Ramdin, who will captain the West Indies for the first time in next week's Test against Australia, started his career as a fast bowler and is considered one of the most unobtrusive players in world cricket.

Denesh Ramdin in hot seat?

The heavy burden of leading a temperamental team, which has plummeted dismally from its pristine glory, following the dash back home of skipper Chris Gayle to be with his critically ill mother, puts Ramdin through the revolving door of recent West Indian captains Gayle, Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Daren Ganga, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo.

Twenty-four old Ramdin has led the West Indies in Twenty20 matches but never in a Test. In the Caribbean, he is regarded in the same mould as former West Indian wicket-keeping great Jeff Dujon.

New West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin. pic/Getty Images

The pint-sized gloveman from Trinidad and Tobago suddenly finds himself facing the task of melding his bunch of talented but eccentric players into a cohesive, fighting unit, with the team severely weakened by the absence of the explosive Gayle at the top of the order in a squad that has only two specialist openers
The tourists' weakness in this regard was exposed yesterday in their tour opener against Queensland in Brisbane where they lost Gayle's partner Adrian Barath and replacement Travis Dowlin with only 10 on the board, before a battling 73 (off 165 balls) from Sarwan guided them to 271.

With Gayle's return uncertain, a replacement has been asked for by the tourists as they go into next Thursday's first Test against an Australian side fiercely determined to regain their dominant No 1 Test position.

Australia, on the other hand, are confronted with an embarrassment of riches despite injury to pace spearhead Brett Lee. Michael Clarke signalled a welcome return to form while batting for four hours when making 106.

"It's good to spend some time in the middle, definitely," Clarke said of his innings "The time at the crease that was my goal in the game, not so much the amount of runs I scored. I think I faced 170 balls so to spend that time is worth 20 net sessions. I feel better for it."

Wicket-keeper batsman Brad Haddin is fit after the tour of India. Stuart Clark, who has been off-colour of late, has staked a recall to the Test side in a head-to-head battle with Doug Bollinger for an additional pace bowler to back up Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus.

The choice of spinner lies between Nathan Hauritz and Jason Krejza. The conundrum about including a fourth seamer will depend upon the state of the wicket, which the curator expects to be dry.

The following are likely to form the 12-man Australian squad to be announced today: Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Marcus North, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Nathan Hauritz (or Jason Krejza), Ben HIlfenhaus, Doug Bollinger.

Reflecting the declining interest in Test cricket the world over, especially in India, ticket sales for the first Test are reported to be disappointing.

Early sales for the New Year and Boxing Day Tests against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the Melbourne Cricket Ground respectively are 20 per cent weaker than last year when Australia faced South Africa.

This also confirms the belief that interest in Tests against Pakistan and the West Indies in Australia is significantly lower than during series against England (the Ashes), India and South Africa.

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