Haddin hopes to move on from dropped chances

Australia's wicketkeeper, Brad Haddin, has conceded his confidence took a blow when he dropped Gautam Gambhir in India's second innings at the SCG last week. The edge off James Pattinson sailed between Haddin's arms as he dived to his left, the ball closer to his original position than he anticipated.

It was the second time in the series Haddin had misjudged his movement and gone too far. In the first innings at the MCG, Virender Sehwag edged the ball off Pattinson and Haddin dived to his right, only to see the ball bounce off his wrists as he moved further than necessary.

Neither mistake proved match-turning but Haddin, Australia's vice-captain in the absence of Shane Watson, has struggled to show his best with either bat or with the gloves during the India series. He said it was important not to get too concerned about the missed opportunities.

"It's obviously disappointing to miss chances," Haddin said on the Sydney radio station 2KY. "We'd just gone up an extra metre to make sure the ball was going to carry and it [the Gambhir chance] flew up and it was one of those things that happens in cricket. It obviously dents your confidence a bit but from my point of view it happens in cricket, you've got to get back on the horse and show what sort of person you are and keep throwing punches.

"The biggest thing is you don't over analyse it. It happens as a wicketkeeper you just don't want to make a habit of it. It was just one of those things in the game. I actually saw it pretty early and probably moved too fast. The train goes onto Perth and let's hope it's a better performance there."

While Haddin's spot in the side appears to be safe in the immediate future, the Victoria wicketkeeper Matthew Wade is building a case for selection. Tasmania's Tim Paine is likely to be considered when he returns from a long-term finger injury, but his return to cricket remains uncertain.

Haddin, 34, has also had a difficult time with the bat in the past few months, throwing his wicket away with poor shots in both innings of Australia's defeats in Cape Town and Hobart. He was one of Australia's better performers during the Ashes last summer but since then has averaged 21.35 with the bat.