Lehmann considers handing Test spot to Clarke

Darren Lehmann could give his place to Michael Clarke, the "genius" who scored a fabulous century on debut in Bangalore, so he can have an unrestricted start to his Test career.

In a move that could end his own international ambitions, Lehmann, the current vice-captain, said he would not stand in the way of a younger player and would consider moving aside for the third Test, when Ricky Ponting is expected to return from a broken left thumb.

"That's something I'll think about and talk about after this Test match," he said. "If I was a selector I would think that Michael Clarke should play every Test for the next 10 or 12 years. If a guy plays a genius knock like that in the first innings of his first Test and is earmarked by all of us to play well, you have to let him."

Clarke's 151 created a batting-order traffic jam and before the first innings of the first Test was over there were calls for Lehmann, who averages 49.37 in 21 Tests and scored 17 and 14 in Bangalore, to be dropped.

"We always knew he was pretty special," Lehmann said. "We probably held him back for maybe a year or so to really make sure he was ready to play. He works bloody hard at the game and respects the game more than any other youngster that I've seen for a long time."

The move would cost Lehmann $15,000 for each missed Test and put in doubt his Cricket Australia contract, which is worth around A$650,000 a season. But Lehmann, 34, said it was not a generous decision. "Sometimes you have to make it for them [the selectors] because it's a lot harder for them to make," he said. "I don't think blokes should be playing on too long. It is a bit different from state cricket where you can help out some young blokes. In international cricket sometimes you might be holding up a spot for a young guy."