New seamers included in India squad

CLINT McKay has missed selection in favour of novice seamers Peter George and Josh Hazlewood as part of the Australian Test squad for India.

George was close to selection against Pakistan in England, called into the squad when Ben Hilfenhaus was in doubt.

But McKay due for duty with the Victorian side in the Twenty20 Champions Lerague in Siouth Africa, has been passed over for Test selection after playing against the Pakistanis.

Wicketkeeping duties will again be taken by the young Tasmanian Tim Paine as first-choice gloveman Brad Haddin continues his slow recovery from an elbow tendon injury. But Haddin's NSW teammate, opener Phil Huighes, returns from injury.

The party of 15 reflected the national selectors' satisfaction with the squad's progress over the past 18 months, despite only mixed results against Pakistan on the recent tour of England

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said he believed the group was building nicely towards the home Ashes series this summer, but acknowledged the size of the task on the subcontinent.

"India is ranked number one in Test cricket and there is no harder assignment in Test cricket at the moment than playing India on their home soil,'' he said. 

There's time to regain my spot: Haddin

Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin believes he will have ample opportunity to regain his place in the team for the upcoming Ashes series after recovering from an elbow injury.

The Australian team's first choice gloveman when fit, Haddin hasn't played since the World Twenty20 final against England in Barbados last May.

The 32-year-old missed Australia's matches against Pakistan in England and the current tour of India due to the elbow tendon injury, but is confident of proving his fitness in match conditions.

Haddin expects to have a brief hit-out in a Sydney grade game this weekend, before leading NSW against Victoria in a second XI match beginning at Blacktown next Monday.

Australia doesn't play its first international of the season at home until a T20 game against Sri Lanka in Perth on October 31, while the much anticipated five-Test series against England commences in Brisbane on November 25.

Haddin could play one Shield game and several one-day matches before the first Sri Lanka international, but could appear in as many as four Shield fixtures before the first Ashes Test.

"There's quite a lot of games leading up to the Ashes, so from a workload point-of-view, I'm not too concerned about the amount of cricket I'm going to get," Haddin told AAP on Thursday.

"There's definitely enough cricket heading into the Ashes."