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MELBOURNE - Australia's test cricket side have a new headache on their hands, as there are concerns opening batsman Phil Jaques has the mumps.
Jaques will sit out New South Wales' day-night and Pura Cup matches against Victoria this week while he rests at home, but there are
fears his build-up to the Boxing Day test against India will be affected while he overcomes the illness.
Jaques was one of the stars in the recent series win over Sri Lanka with centuries in Brisbane and Hobart, and his illness is another distraction for the Australian side given the form and injury worries hanging over Stuart MacGill.
MacGill is in constant talks with physiotherapist Alex Kountouris over his troublesome knee and is reportedly considering undergoing surgery which would keep the legspinner out of the four tests against India.
Cricket Australia is yet to announce a course of action for MacGill before the Boxing Day test, but his options are resting his knee, regaining form with NSW and undergoing surgery, which would cost him his test spot to another spinner, most likely Brad Hogg.
MacGill won a strong show of support from Australian paceman Brett Lee, who said the legspinner, 36, did not deserve to be judged on one bad test in Hobart.
Lee was unsure how badly MacGill was hampered by injuries in Hobart, but said the veteran should not be written off.
"You're talking about one game over 42, he's a wonderful player and he's already shown that he is such a capable test bowler," Lee said.
"It's unfair to chat about someone's career over one match and what I say about Stuey is that he is a wonderful bowler and anyone that doubts him, go have a look at his record."
MacGill has 203 wickets from 42 tests, but the Sri Lanka series brought only five scalps at 65.
Lee could not say whether surgery would be the best option for MacGill, but was hopeful Australia would retain the same attack to play India.
"We've got an amazing variety among the bowlers and I thought the bowlers in both tests, collectively, did a great job," he said.
"It was a great team effort, so hopefully the team we've got now can carry us through."
- AAP