Haddin happy to see Smith develop

"Don't they want to ask about my keeping?" Brad Haddin joked after his press conference at the MCG on Tuesday. Struggling with the bat, overtaken by Steven Smith for the Test captaincy - it's no wonder his glovework would have been Haddin's choice of conversation topic. After all, nine dismissals in the win at the Gabba was equal second to Adam Gilchrist's 10 in Hamilton in 2000 on Australia's all-time list.

Of course, Haddin was speaking mostly in jest. Sure, he would like more runs - he said so half a dozen times - but he is comfortable with his position, happy to help Smith develop his captaincy on the job. It would have been understandable for the vice-captain to get tetchy when overlooked for the leadership with the skipper out injured. Not Brad Haddin, team man.

"I think they have made a very brave and very good decision in giving Steve the captaincy," Haddin said. "I think it is the perfect time for him, he is on top of his game at the moment which is one thing you don't have to worry about being captain. He is a good leader, he is only young and he is going to get better and better in the role.

"It was an outstanding decision by Cricket Australia. He has got a good core group of senior guys to help him out if he needs it, but things are going well. He's got his own thoughts on the game, he is a good thinker about it, he still wants to learn. A very good decision."

Asked if he had expected or wanted to be given the job with Michael Clarke out with a hamstring injury, Haddin said he was happy simply to have led the side in the final stages of the first Test. "I would much rather you remember the last two hours I did in Adelaide rather than do it all the time," he said.

For the time being, Haddin might also prefer that Australian fans remember his batting for past achievements than current ones. In last year's Ashes at home he rescued Australia from first-innings holes in all five Tests, but since then he has managed Test scores of 0, 9, 1, 13, 3*, 22, 0, 10, 13, 0, 14*, 6 and 1.

"I think my preparation has been spot on. Leading into this summer I felt better than I did last summer," he said. "It's just about getting that luck at the start of your innings. If you get through that first bit you start to get into the rhythm of the game, then you work from there. I don't feel in bad touch, I just need to get some runs. That's as simple as it is.

"I'm not concerned about it. All my preparation and that has been spot on, I have just been out of runs," he said. "I am not stressed or too worried about it. The game will turn and it will go my way ... I don't feel it [pressure]. This game turns. I'd obviously like some more runs. I've been in this situation before."

While Australia would like more from Haddin at No.7, they also need to work out what to do with the rest of the batting order after Joe Burns was included in the side. Burns has been opening for Queensland since near the start of last summer and Shane Watson also prefers to bat at the top, but one will likely have to slide down to No.6 with Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh seemingly settled at Nos. 4 and 5.

"I think if you can bat in the top order in state cricket it holds you in good stead to bat anywhere for Australia," Haddin said. "That's where you're under pressure the most, you've got the new ball, you can get trying conditions there [in the Shield].

"I haven't seen too much of Burns play. He seems pretty relaxed and understands his game. He's asked a lot of questions about cricket. He didn't know where to sit in the change room. I think he's suited to anywhere in the order because if you bat in that top three, second new ball at No.6, I think he'll handle it quite well."