Doug Walters

Sydney: Exciting young Australian batting talent Michael Clarke?s debut Test century has put the heat on experienced batsman Darren Lehmann to keep his place in the series against India, Australian Test great Doug Walters said on Thursday.

The 23-year-old right-hander became the 12th Australian to make a hundred on Test debut in the first Test in Bangalore against India.

Clarke gained his first Test cap when a fractured thumb forced Test skipper Ricky Ponting to miss the opening two Tests of the four-match India series. Ponting?s return for the third Nagpur Test from October 26-30 will now put mounting pressure on Australia?s Test selectors as to who should make way for Ponting.

?He?s a very good player ? has been for a long, long time ? and it?s taken the selectors, unfortunately, a long time to find him,? Walters said of Clarke.

Walters said it could be time for the selectors to move the 34-year-old Lehmann aside in favour of the burgeoning talents of younger batsmen, particularly Clarke.

?You can?t consistently keep on dropping 37, 38-year-old blokes from (the team) and replacing them with 36-year-old guys,? Walters said on radio. ?I?ve got nothing against Darren Lehmann, I think he?s a fantastic player. He?s done a fantastic job for Australia, but the way he batted yesterday, I think his (Test career) might be short-lived.?

Lehmann chanced his luck in a streaky 17 to put Australia in early trouble before Clarke and Adam Gilchrist restored the first innings. Ponting is the only regular batsman in the team in his 20s and he turns 30 on December 19. (AFP)