Lehmann left out, and Gillespie faces fitness test before Indian series

Jason Gillespie has been included, subject to fitness, in the Australian squad for the one-day tri-series in India which starts with a day-night match between New Zealand and India at Chennai next Thursday (Oct 23). He has a grade-one tear of his left side-muscle.

The injury occurred during the first Test against Zimbabwe at Perth last weekend, and means there is a chance the Australians could go into the series without two of their key bowlers from their World Cup success. Gillespie, who admittedly played in only four games before returning home with an injury, may miss the series while Glenn McGrath, who is still experiencing ankle problems after an operation in August, definitely will. If Gillespie does fail his fitness test, the Western Australia fast bowler Brad Williams will take his place in the squad.

Also missing from the side will be Darren Lehmann, the middle-order batsman and fill-in spinner. Still under an injury cloud in the lead-up to the second Test against Zimbabwe, which starts at Sydney on Friday, Lehmann is suffering from soreness in his left Achilles tendon. He has been overlooked for the Indian tour following medical advice.

Trevor Hohns, the chairman of the national selection panel, said: "We have accepted the view that the demands placed on the body are sufficiently different in a one-off Test match compared to the intensity of a one-day tournament. The Cricket Australia medical team believes that although Darren might be able to get through this Test match, he will not be able to endure the rigours of a one-day tournament without suffering further damage. Darren is fully accepting of that view. From a team perspective it's disappointing because he has been a key member of Australia's success at one-day level."

Gillespie's replacement during the World Cup, Nathan Bracken returns to the side, and returns to India where he first played during the series early in 2001. He will be accompanied by Michael Clarke, also from NSW, who made his ODI debut during the post-World Cup tour of the West Indies, where he took the place of the injured Damien Martyn.

The team leaves for India next Wednesday (Oct 22).

Squad Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Jimmy Maher, Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Ian Harvey, Brad Hogg, Andrew Bichel, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Bracken.