Australia's T20 coach Justin Langer has thrown his support behind Shaun Marsh to fill the much-coveted No.6 vacancy in Australia's Test side.
Days before he takes up his national role for Australia's three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka, Langer weighed into the debate about who would best fit the middle-order position for the much-anticipated four-Test series which starts in India on February 23.
"It depends on which balance they go for, how Australia wants to line up," the former Test batsman told AAP.
"If they go the traditional XI you'd pick Shaun because of his record in not only the subcontinent but for Australia.
"He deserves to play, Shaun deserves to play in the Test match. Even before his injury, he deserved to play."
Marsh hasn't played the long-format game since the first Test against South Africa in November when he aggravated an existing finger injury.
But both he and brother Mitchell Marsh have been selected in the 16-man squad to tour India.
As West Australian coach, Langer has worked with both siblings for years and know their games.
Offspinning allrounder Glenn Maxwell has put his hand up to fill No.6, a position in which WA allrounder Hilton Cartwright was trialled on Test debut at the SCG in January.
Nic Maddinson and Callum Ferguson also had turns in the spot, but like Cartwright were not named in the squad.
"I'd certainly like to be the No.6, in all countries," Maxwell said earlier this month.
"It'd be a great position for me to try and nail down and that's something I'm hoping to do, starting in India."
When naming the squad interim Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns highlighted the need for flexibility against the world's No.1 Test side.
"Shaun (Marsh) is proven in subcontinent conditions and is coming off a hundred in his last Test match in Sri Lanka," Hohns said.
"He is a very versatile batsman who can slot in at the top or the middle of the order."
The first Test kicks off in Pune in less than a fortnight.
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