"I always felt that with four quicks there was an extra bowler for no apparent reason," Clark told 'Herald Sun' on Monday.

"I don't think the attack is balanced without a spinner or another option. I'm sure if the wicket is that green there may be the option not to play a spinner but that's few and far between. Without a spinner you've got over rate issues," he added.

Clark felt having off-spinner Nathan Lyon would in fact help the team's cause as it aims to take a 3-0 lead in the four-match series. "...with the breeze over there (in Perth), if you can find an off-spinner who can curve the ball, which Lyon can do really well, that would always be my go."

Australia had ended up losing the last time they played against India at the WACA in 2008 after going in with a four-pronged pace attack.

The former pacer also defended wicketkeeper Brad Haddin's position in the Australia Test team, saying he has proved his mettle and his leadership skills

to fend off challenges from the next generation.

Undoubtedly Haddin's position has been strengthened by a serious injury to gloveman Tim Paine and concerns over Matthew Wade's ability to keep wickets at the highest level but his promotion as the vice-captain of the team in the absence of Shane Watson has helped the youngsters. "I think it's important he's in the team for that reason. Those guys are still learning their craft, they need an older head around," Haddin's Big Bash League side, Sydney Sixers' teammate Stuart Clark said.

"He's important for them because he can bridge that gap from someone like Ricky (Ponting), who has played 160 Tests, to someone like Dave Warner, who has played four," he was quoted as saying by the Age.

Haddin, who had captained New South Wales on and off last decade and also led Australia at Twenty20 level, was recently appointed skipper of Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. "If we didn't think he was a good leader we would have never decided to make him captain," said Clark.

"He's a guy that everyone will follow if he shows them the way and that's what we were looking for. Brad is prepared to stand up for what he believes in, he'll tell you how he wants you to play and he expects you to follow him, but he's also prepared to value the time to understand what you need," he added.

Haddin, who has played 159 international matches after he became a regular for Australia following Gilchrist's retirement in 2008, had been recently condemned for reckless dismissals in Cape Town, when Australia was bundled out for 47, and during the unsuccessful run chase in Hobart against lowly New Zealand.

In Sydney also he dropped a regulation opportunity off Gautam Gambhir and his glove work was unconvincing against balls that swung late. "It's disappointing to miss chances, we'd just gone up an extra metre to make sure the ball was going to carry, it just flew off. It dents your confidence a little bit, but it happens. You've got to get back on the horse, show what sort of person you are and keep throwing punches.

"The bottom line is this happens in cricket and it happens as wicketkeeper, you just don't want to make a habit of it," Haddin told Sky Sports Radio.