AUSTRALIA will take a rookie paceman into today's second Test against India Peter George likely to earn debut against India as replacement for injured Doug Bollinger was ruled out last night.

A still sore Doug Bollinger will not play in the second Test against India at Bangalore, leaving beanpole paceman Peter George favoured to make his debut against India on Saturday.

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Simon Katich has made rapid strides in the last couple of years. Like Michael Hussey, he is extremely aware about his own game and its limitations. Katich has re-assembled his batting bit by bit and knows exactly what he is doing.

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With Bollinger nursing an abdominal injury, Australia are likely to give Peter George, the two-meter tall South Australia fast bowler, a debut. George was part of Australia's attack in the warm-up game against Board President's XI in Chandigarh, where he took a couple of first-innings wickets.

Pitch and conditions

"The pitch will be sporting, but it will help the batsmen more," the curator Narayan Raju said, before adding that the rainy weather might play a part. "Owing to recent rains, there is a lot of moisture in the pitch, and because of the overcast conditions, the moisture hasn't dried out. If the conditions remain the same, it could help the bowlers on the first day."

Australia (probable):

1 Shane Watson

2 Simon Katich

3 Ricky Ponting (capt)

4 Michael Clarke

5 Michael Hussey

6 Marcus North

7 Tim Paine (wk)

8 Mitchell Johnson

9 Nathan Hauritz

10 Ben Hilfenhaus

11 Peter George

Selectors still look to North despite lean trot

BANGALORE: Marcus North will likely be spared the selectors' axe as Australia reel from the gut-wrenching first-Test defeat.

The No.6 batsman, who failed to score more than 10 runs for the 16th time in his 30-innings career, nevertheless retained the confidence of the selection panel because of a century in the practice match before the Test. And despite the lean trot, North's stunning form in last year's Ashes has made him a favourite for the return series next month.

''No player is safe in international cricket, you've got to perform,'' said Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors.

The panel is backing North as the best placed of any No.6 candidate to score a match-winning innings in the next game. The selection of Callum Ferguson in the one-day side means the South Australian has returned to full fitness, and if any batsman is going to pressure North it would be Ferguson, who has already identified by Hilditch and captain Ricky Ponting as a Test player in waiting.

''Nathan bowled a lot of overs in the Test, and bowled at some crucial times,'' Hilditch said.