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India's W'Cup squad delay unfair: Waugh

Australia's former one-day captain Steve Waugh believes India's delay in naming a provisional World Cup squad has given them a huge advantage.

The Indian cricket board is expected to announce a provisional squad of 30 players this week, although the ICC deadline elapsed at the end of last month.

An ongoing row between the ruling body and India's top cricketers over personal endorsements for the World Cup has been blamed for the delay by the Indian board.

"Every side has to pick 30 players yet India haven't. There doesn't seem to be any penalty or any urgency to get those players named," the 1999 World Cup-winning captain told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

"If you can't be picked from outside the 30 then I think India have got a huge advantage because they haven't named their players yet.

"For me that seems pretty ludicrous. That means India has a huge advantage. I think that's crazy."

IMPRESS SELECTORS

Waugh, 37, who remains Test captain, was dropped for the one-day series in South Africa in March and has not regained his place, losing the captaincy to Ricky Ponting, who led the team to a 5-1 victory in the seven-match series.

Waugh, who has returned to the bowling crease in a bid to impress selectors, has not been included in Australia's provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup, starting in South Africa in February.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) says the 14 competing World Cup nations would have to name their final 15-man squads by the end of this year.

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) had originally stated it retains the right to choose from outside the 30-man squad for the final 15-player list, however the ACB is now clarifying that with the ICC.

"All we can do is wait and see the answer we get from the ICC," ACB spokesman Peter Young said.

Australia may seek to include Stuart MacGill, also not part of the 30-man squad, in the final list of 15 following Shane Warne's shoulder injury last week which will keep him out for at least a month.

Waugh said: "If I am playing well and there's a spot there I'll be happy to take it. I could bowl off-spin if they want me to."

Meanwhile, Waugh said that fellow-New South Wales player MacGill's chances of playing in next week's fourth Test against England in Melbourne are strong.

"He's a world-class bowler, probably the second-best spinner in the world. We're lucky to have both those guys in Australia and he'd obviously be a good chance," Waugh said.

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