MELBOURNE, Sept 20: Australian captain Ricky Ponting has strongly backed all-rounder Shane Watson for the four-match Test series against India starting next month.

Ponting felt that the 27-year-old Watson’s ability as a technically correct batsman and an effective medium pace bowler would have earned him a place in the playing 11 even if Andrew Symonds was a part of the squad.

Watson replaced Symonds in the 14-member squad after the Queenslander was put on mental rehabilitation by Cricket Australia (CA).

“I think he might have played anyway if Symonds was around just for that flexibility and what his bowling can offer. I would be surprised if he didn’t play in the opening game,” Ponting was quoted as saying in The Australian .

The 14-member squad leaves Sunday for India to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with Watson hoping that he would get a chance to play his first Test in almost three years.

Watson’s last Test was against the West Indies in November 2005.

“He’s been pretty harshly viewed in recent years but you don’t average almost 50 in first-class cricket, particularly batting at the Gabba, if you haven’t got the right game. He could get himself picked in the side as a batter alone, but what he can give us with the ball is a bonus.

Him for Symonds is probably the absolutely likely swap at the moment,” Ponting added.

On the spinning tracks of India, Australia is likely to base its attack around pace because of the inexperience in the spin department. Spinners Bryce McGain, who was surprisingly selected ahead of young spinner Beau Casson, and Jason Krejza are yet to play a Test.

But Ponting was confident and hoped that there will be conditions which will help both the spinners.—Agencies