Adelaide, Nov 21: Australian test captain Steve Waugh today warned against rushing Brett Lee back into the national team for the India series before the tearaway speedster has regained match fitness. Lee, along with Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket, is recovering from ankle surgery and torn stomach muscles, and has not played since the second test against Zimbabwe in Sydney last month.

He is making a bid to be ready for the first test against India in Brisbane, starting December 4, but would have had only one limited-over match before then for New South Wales against Tasmania on November 29. Waugh said the decision was up to the selectors, but he would not want to captain a side involving players with fitness doubts.

"I'm not sure how Brett's going, it's not a lot of preparation, but it's up to the selectors to make that call," Waugh said here.

"I think you want to see the guys ready for a test match. You can't really go in hoping they're going to be okay, you've got to know they're going to be right and they've done enough bowling."

Paceman Glenn Mcgrath, who is recovering from two ankle operations and has not played since the second test against Bangladesh in Cairns last July, is in a similar situation and also unlikely to be ready for the first test.
Bureau Report