Watson unlikely to bowl in Melbourne Test

Shane Watson has conceded that he is unlikely to be able to bowl in the Boxing Day Test as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. Watson will join his batting colleagues at a camp in Melbourne next week to prepare for the first Test against India, but having played no cricket since the tour of South Africa he needs to prove that he is ready for Test cricket again.

Shaun Marsh is expected to miss the Melbourne Test as he battles an ongoing back problem, while Phillip Hughes is almost certain to be axed. Should Watson not be considered fit, that would raise the prospect of a debut for the in-form Tasmania opener Ed Cowan, who is set to play in the three-day Cricket Australia Chairman's XI match against the Indians in Canberra.

Watson will miss the Sydney Sixers' opening Big Bash League match as he aims to be fit for Boxing Day. He said he was hoping to be available for the Test and would like his role to be clearly defined, having carried the burden of opening the batting and bowling plenty of medium-pace over the past year.

"There's no doubt that would be great if my role was defined," Watson told reporters on Wednesday. "But my role ... most [probably] will be different if I'm not bowling in Melbourne.

"I might not be available as an allrounder in Melbourne, so it's going to be hard to exactly define my role before Boxing Day because I won't be bowling. But there's no doubt for my piece of mind and for the team's it would be nice to know what they see me as and for the balance of the team to get the best out of myself."

"I'm not that confident [of being picked] because in the end I haven't played for three or four weeks. There's no doubt I'd love to be able to play on Boxing Day. With a preparation of about a week ... I feel like I'd be able to be in a good place with my batting alone. I'd be confident that I'd able to play close to my best if not at my best on Boxing Day if selected."