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Keeping the faith ... Ed Cowan is expected to open against India. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited
Ed Cowan is set to survive the selection axe with Australian coach Mickey Arthur indicating they will keep the faith even if his opening partner David Warner is cleared to play in the first Test against India, starting Friday.
Cowan's tenure in the baggy green has become increasingly shaky amid a push for Shane Watson to return to the top of the Australian order, given the allrounder will play exclusively as a batsman in this four-Test series.
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Warner enters the series opener at MA Chidambaram Stadium battling a thumb injury, but the explosive left-hander is expected to play, pending a drama-free nets session in Chennai today.
While Cowan's detractors have spotlighted his average of 32.82 from 13 Tests, the compact Tasmanian has done little wrong on this tour, posting scores of 40, 53 and 58 in Australia's two warm-up games.
It has been speculated Cowan could be axed to accommodate an aggressive Watson-Warner union, but Arthur said Australia's incumbent players deserved a chance after their 3-0 sweep of Sri Lanka in their most recent Test series.
"Ed has come out of these practice games with his head held high," the Australian coach said.
"He's had a good method against the spin here and he's played exceptionally well.
"We've got to look again (at the squad) and see what we think is going to be the best possible way of winning.
"I do think though that we've just come off a series where we've beaten Sri Lanka 3-0 in our last Test series and do those players get first opportunity?
"That would be a tough call (to drop Cowan) but that's something we have to only weigh up once Davey Warner is fit or not fit."
Arthur remains confident Warner, who was smacked on the hand by a Mitchell Johnson delivery in the nets last month, will get the green light to face the Indians.
But the litmus test for Warner will arrive over the next 48 hours when he is asked to take block against Australia's quicks.
"We're pretty clear on where and how we want to go now," Arthur said.
"I think we've got clarity on that.
"We're just waiting on one or two fitness concerns.
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We just want to see how Davey Warner comes up over the next day or two. It's critical that he trains well over the next day or two to play.
"I'm pretty sure and confident he'll come through but he hasn't faced any quicks yet. He's been doing a lot of batting against spin, which has been fantastic. He hasn't faced pace bowling, that's the only concern, but he ticks that box today."
Asked if Watson would definitely bat at second drop, Arthur said: "It's a little bit difficult to give that away right now. Let's first see how Dave comes about and then we'll attack that conundrum."
"(But) potentially through the middle it will be a tough time to bat so you want your most seasoned campaigners in that area, plus you want a guy that can take the spinners down."
The Australians remain undecided on who will fill the allrounder's role, with the selectors weighing up Moises Henriques' ability to generate reverse swing against Glenn Maxwell's right-arm off-spin.
"We have to sit down and decide what is our best chance of taking 20 wickets," he said.
"If our best chance is with five seamers so be it, if it's with two spinners and three seamers, great.
"Conditions play a massive role but you need the artillery as well. We need to have a look and construct what is our best opportunity of taking 20 wickets be that with one spinner, two spinners or one spinner and 'Pup' (skipper Michael Clarke as part-time back-up)."
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