Melbourne, Nov 26(ANI): Newly- appointed Australian head cricket coach Mickey Arthur has expressed confidence that his side will beat Kiwis in the first Test match, though star players are ruled out of the game.
His comments came in the wake of his Brisbane visit to select the team for upcoming New Zealand series, along with the national selector, John Inverarity.
Australian players, Ryan Harris, Patrick Cummins, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh have been ruled out of the team's first Test against New Zealand in Brisbane.
"It's probably not the best start [to the job], but it's an exciting time because it's opportunities and challenges for other younger players," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Arthur, as saying.
"We know what we've got in Harris, Cummins and Johnson and obviously they are fantastic performances. But what it does do is it gives the next crop of bowlers an opportunity to stake their claim because I'm all about squad and not team. If we want to get to where we need to be we've got to build a really strong squad," he added.
Arthur is confronted with the task of rebuilding Mitch Johnson to his former stature.
Johnson has been out of form for the past few months, and his Test average reached beyond 30 after Sri Lanka and South Africa series, where he claimed only nine wickets over five Tests.
"Mitch and I have always had a great relationship so it'll be a sit down and see where we're at and hopefully he reacts and becomes the quality performer we know he is," Arthur said.
"I've got no doubt that we can get him back to where he needs to be. He's quality. We want him available to us but we want a fit and firing Mitchell Johnson available to us," he added.
Johnson is ruled out of the upcoming match due to foot injury, as evident from an X- ray, which showed a chunk of steel lodged in his foot. (ANI)
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