UAE form shouldn't be criteria to pick pacers against India: Siddle

Sydney, Nov 14 (IANS) Australia pacer Peter Siddle said Friday he expected the national selectors to judge actions rather than figures in determining the best bowling attack for the Test series against India starting Dec 4.

Siddle was among the pacers who failed to impress on slow and low pitches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, capturing only two wickets at 108.5 runs per wicket, as Australia lost both Tests of the two-match series against Pakistan.

"I don't think figures are going to say too much about that," Siddle was quoted as saying by The Australian.

"There's obviously rhythm and all those type of things that they see in conditions that aren't very conducive."

The 29-year-old also said there was a lot of pressure on the team after their humbling defeats at the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Siddle hoped that failure to take wickets against Pakistan would not count against him in team selection against India.

“You cop a lot of flak, but half the people haven’t watched it and they just read the paper and look at the figures. We did build up pressure and bowl well ... the people who know it were over there watching," he said.

“They’re the best judges and they’re making the decisions.”

Siddle also revealed chief selector Rodney Marsh held a debrief with the squad after Pakistan thrashed them by 356 runs in the second Test at Abu Dhabi.

“It’s been a tough hunting ground for a long period of time,” Siddle said, when asked what Marsh said to the team.

“Not a lot of blokes can vouch they’ve gone over there and won matches. It’s a matter of being able to learn from mistakes ... but now it’s thinking about the Australian summer ahead.”

Siddle was recalled against Pakistan after being dropped for the Test series decider against South Africa in March. He said it was difficult to come up with a pace pecking order for the first Test against Indian at Brisbane.

“The three of us (Siddle, Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris) stuck together last year and won the Ashes 5-0, so that obviously counts for a little bit,” he said.

“But the young guys are going well."