Intro:

Two days on from the funeral of Phillip Hughes, Australia and India were on Friday (5th December) getting ready for the first Test at the Adelaide Oval starting next Tuesday (9th December).

Script:

Australia captain Michael Clarke remains hopeful of playing in the first Test against India next week.

Clarke ran at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday and was to join the team in Adelaide later in the day.

He is recovering from his third hamstring injury since August and from the death of his close friend and teammate Phillip Hughes. Hughes suffered fatal injuries from being hit by a bouncer while batting in a domestic match last week.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann had this to add on his captain,

SOUNDBITE: (English) Darren Lehmann, Australia Coach:

" Yeah h e's pretty mentally strong, as you saw throughout the week, He was great with the Hughes family and he held himself together really well and led the team really well. As long as he's (Clarke's) fine to do the running and can bat at the level he needs to we'll be fine, we want our captain playing, simple as that.''

India also has its injury concerns and will be without their regular captain M.S. Dhoni who is still recovering from a right thumb injury.

Virat Kohli will lead the side in Dhoni's absence and Wriddhiman Saha is expected to take the gloves.

India's selection committee, which met in Mumbai, named rookie batsman Lokesh Rahul as the third opener, after Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, and included leg spinner Karn Sharma for the first time.

Twenty-two year-old Rahul was selected ahead of more experienced openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag because of his strong recent form.

The first Test begins on Tuesday at the Adelaide Oval.