Ponting says Lee must wait

Brett Lee to wait his turn © Getty Images

Brett Lee will almost certainly have to wait until the summer's home Tests to break back into the Australian team, the captain Ricky Ponting said today.

Ponting, who rejoins the team in India this week after recovering from a broken thumb, said Lee faced a struggle to regain his spot. "Unfortunately he's not getting a crack at the moment but we've got a lot of Test matches to play in Australia this summer and I'm sure he'll play a part in those," Ponting said. "He's been out of the side for a long time and the guys who have been in the side when he's been out have done very, very well."

Ponting said Michael Kasprowicz had been outstanding since regaining his place last year, Jason Gillespie had been picked in both World XI teams and Glenn McGrath was also bowling well. "Someone's always going to be unlucky - Brett's the unlucky one at the moment," he said.

Lee's year was interrupted when he injured his ankle during the tour of Sri Lanka in February but he has returned to full fitness. "By all accounts he's bowling very, very quick over there at the moment," Ponting said. "He's busting to get out there and have a go, but there's some tough selections to come up."

The recovery of Ponting means another difficult choice between Darren Lehmann, the stand-in vice captain, and Michael Clarke for the fourth Test in Mumbai. If he plays, Ponting might use a hand guard to protect the thumb he broke during the Champions Trophy in England last month.

"I'll test things out when I first get there," he said. "The first couple of days when I get there I'll just go pretty easily with catching and fielding drills. I just want to get used to feeling the ball in my hands again. But I have had some protective guards made for fielding, if I'm not overly confident, but I've still got another two weeks until the fourth Test comes around."