Clarke hopes to be picked for Tests

Michael Clarke's performances over the last year or so have suggested that he is a huge star in the making, and he hopes to reinforce that belief if picked for the Australian Test squad that will tour India in October. Clarke had a fantastic time in India during the TVS Cup triangular series last year, picking up seven wickets and making 118 runs as Australia romped to victory.

"I love playing in India," he said, speaking to reporters in Amsterdam. "I don't mind the ball spinning. Hopefully I will be selected and show my ability there, both against pace and spin."

Interestingly, Clarke's coach-cum-manager, Neil de Costa, is of Indian origin, and was involved in his initiation into the game. In fact, it was de Costa who made the nine-year-old Clarke pick up a bat for the first time.

Clarke acknowledged de Costa's influence and said, "His parents are Indians and we did a lot of work playing spin bowling. I have also been brought up playing a lot of spin. My wickets at home are a little slower than the other wickets you commonly find in Australia."

There was also a mention of Shane Warne, who had helped him out with his spin bowling. "Warney has been fantastic, a brilliant bowler and a great person. I think he has helped me a lot with my cricket and definitely with my bowling."

Clarke's one-day batting average is an impressive 43.47 after 29 games, often while batting as low as No. 6 or 7. But though he made a scintillating hundred in a tour match against India at Hobart last December, a modest first-class average (37.83) might count against him when the selectors pick a side to win in India for the first time since 1969-70. Given his talent, though, an Indian tour is probably just the challenge he needs to take his game up a notch.