Haddin first-choice wicketkeeper for Windies Test series

Sydney, Nov 7: Australian wicket keeper Brad Haddin has said that he had received a call from chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch, which confirmed that he was the first-choice wicketkeeper despite Tim Paine and Graham Manou performing well during his absence.

'This is when Tim Paine broke down after a couple of games in India. I told Digger I still hadn't played, so I couldn't say for sure how my finger was going to hold up. I wasn't right to go to India to start with, and my whole build-up, after talking to the physio and the selectors, had been to get right for the first Test (against West Indies),' The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Haddin, as saying.

Haddin, who missed one-day tournaments in England, South Africa and India, also said that he was at ease after the three-month long break that he had after his finger injury.

'If I'd gone over to India and my hand wasn't right, I'd be looking like an idiot. But if I was fit to go on that India tour, I would have gone. The selectors have been great through the whole process, and the rehab has always been based on me playing the first Test,' he added.

It also brought an end to all the whispers about Haddin's place being under threat from the back-up wicketkeepers.

'I can see why people might have thought things had changed. 'That sort of talk doesn't worry me. All I can do is make sure when I get back in, I'm not playing injured like I was the last two Tests in England. Not that I regret it. Ask me now if I would've played with my broken hand, knowing I could do more damage to it, and I still would have done the exact same thing,' Haddin said.

'It was a massive series. I wanted to be a part of it, and I have no regrets at all about playing and making the finger worse. Tim and Graham, I'd never begrudge them going well. I've never been one to think like that. It probably comes from me being behind 'Gilly' [Adam Gilchrist] for so long,' he added.

--ANI