Cricket Australia has publicly defended its preparation for the Adelaide Test, despite backlash from former greats over the call to give players a week off.

Australian players returned home in the 10-day break between the humiliating defeat in The West Test and the second match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide.

The squad, which now includes Tasmanian all-rounder Beau Webster as cover amid concerns over Mitch Marsh’s fitness, is expected to link up in South Australia across the weekend.

In an interview with The West Australian, former Australian opener Simon Katich joined the chorus of greats pushing for batters to play in a Prime Minister’s XI clash with India or even club cricket at the weekend.

Marnus Lauschagne, the batter under the most heat after the loss in Perth, has not shoehorned into the PM’s XI. His club side, Redlands in Queensland, are midway through a two-day match this week.

“Only he can answer that because all their preparation is different, but I know in our era you would have been encouraged to play a game in between, whatever that is, just to spend some time in the middle,” Katich, a Channel 7 commentator, told The West.

“From experience, when you are lacking runs, anything that helps you get that confidence back in your game — whether it’s how you’re hitting them or you’re not spending enough time in the middle — you do to try and get that back.

“Ultimately with batting, it might only be one shot away or one innings away and then things click and you feel good and you can transfer that to the next level.