Sydney, Sept.10 : Australia's preparations for the tour of India have been dealt another blow, with spinners Beau Casson and Bryce McGain ruled out of this week's unofficial Test against India with injuries.

Both bowlers had hoped to use Australia A's two-match tour to gain much-needed experience in Indian conditions before the Test series.

However, a groin strain to Casson and McGain's side injury has scuppered such plans.

Their absence has provided Jason Krejza, a Tasmanian finger spinner formerly of NSW, with a chance to impress national selectors in the second unofficial Test against India A, which began in Hyderabad yesterday.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Casson, Australia's incumbent Test spinner, will return home this week having bowled just one over of the first unofficial Test in Bangalore. The rookie left-armer remains confident his strained left adductor muscle will heal in time for the Test series, in which he will most likely be asked to shoulder extra responsibility in the absence of part-time spinner Andrew Symonds.

McGain was restricted to 17 overs for figures of 3-51 before straining his right latissimus dorsi. Both should still figure in Australia's plans for the Test series.

The Australian attack will depart this month with no Test experience in the dry, dusty conditions of India, although all senior pacers have played one-day cricket in the country. Casson, too, has had limited exposure to Indian surfaces, having only played there twice on youth tours before the Australia A series.

ANI