Adelaide, Jan 18 (IANS): Amid speculation that Australia will field a three-man pace attack, pacer Ryan Harris pleaded with the team management to rettain him for the fourth and the final Test against India starting here January 24.
National Selection Panel (NSP) John Inverarity, while announcing the squad Monday, said that one of the four Australian pacers who played in the Perth Test would be dropped to accommodate off-spinner Nathan Lyon for the final Test.
And with Peter Siddle refusing to take a break, the axe will fall on either Harris or youngster Mitchell Starc.
Harris, who has just returned to international cricket after being sidelined for four months due to injury, wants to assure the selectors that ie not prone to breakdowns.
"Sidds (Siddle) wants to play. We are pretty keen to win the series 4-0. It is probably out of me and Starcy to miss out of the bowling group. It is very competitive these days," Harris was quoted as saying by Fox Sports.
"My argument if they want to rest me is that I have had three or four months off. I struggle with stop-starts. Once I am up and going, I have to make sure I do keep going," he said. "I want to get that real strong feeling at the crease going in Adelaide and the only way I am going to do that is keep bowling and bowling."
The 32-year-old Harris said he felt good with his return to internatinal cricket at Perth.
"I stood there on the last day in Perth and liked how good I felt. I got through a lot of overs, everything is good, no pain in my hip or anything."
For Harris, who is based in Queensland, playing a Test match at his former home ground would be special. Five years ago, Harris lost his mother Gai to cancer. The pacer said it would be emitional for him at the Adelaide Oval, where his mother used to turn up everytime to cheer her son.
"It would mean a lot to play again in Adelaide in front of family and friends. I have to pinch myself. I think of her each time I am about to bowl, touch my chest where I have a tattoo of her. I think she would be proud. She used to watch me at Adelaide Oval," he said.