Sky Sports has been talking up McGain as well. I think this is a hangover from the Warne era, that being unless you are a legspinner, you should not play tests for Australia.

Now i confess that i have not actually seen McGain play, so i cannot judge his technical merits. But like Hogg, he is in his mid-thirties so there is no long term future in using him.

He has not played for Australia and been tested under pressure and in the full glare of lights and cameras. He does not have the history or enjoyed the camaraderie that Hogg has with the Australian team. He cannot bat as well as Hogg. Unlike Hogg, he has no experience against the Indians, nor has he enjoyed the success against them that Hogg has.

Playing McGain in Melbourne is to big a risk and on the balance of things, he has not laid a stronger claim to the position. I reckon Ponting will want Hogg - he knows his game and Hogg has always come up with the goods for him, thus Hogg will be the man playing I suspect.

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