Waugh wants Lehmann to be himself

BRISBANE - Darren Lehmann has been urged to play his natural aggressive game when he makes his long-awaited return to the Australian Test cricket team at the Gabba tomorrow.

The pressure will be on for Lehmann to perform in only his sixth Test since his 1998 debut against India and his first since scoring 32 and an eight-ball duck in the 1998-99 Ashes series.

Lehmann, 32, will also have big shoes to fill taking over from class batsman Mark Waugh, who was dropped and promptly retired from international cricket last week.

But Test captain Steve Waugh today said he wasn't expecting any changes in the South Australian skipper's approach to the Ashes series opener against England.

"I think Darren is a very relaxed sort of person and he'll go out and play his natural game," Waugh said.

"I'd hate to think he changes anything about the way he plays because he's so natural and goes with the flow and that's the way we want him to play."

Lehmann should remain in the Test squad if he shows just a glimpse of his first class form.

The free-scoring left-hander is the all-time leading scorer in Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup history with 18,961 runs at 56.60 - with a top score of 255 - and has a 44 average in domestic one day games.

In contrast, he averages only 28.50 from his eight Test innings to date with a top score of 98.

He makes his return to the Test team for the first time since 1999 when he got out for a duck against England in the final Test at the SCG.

Lehmann will bat at number six with Damien Martyn replacing Mark Waugh at four.