Retired Test champion Mike Hussey has backed elder statesman Brad Haddin to be stand-in Australian skipper ahead of the annointed Steve Smith, should Michael Clarke be unfit to play any of the four matches against India this summer.

Speculation surrounding Clarke’s injured hamstring continues to smother Australia’s lead-up to the home Test series starting on December 4.

And as the opening match draws closer, talk has begun to swing towards who should take over the captaincy in his absence.

As current vice-captain, Haddin is the obvious contender for the gig.

But a number of people have come out in support of Smith in the past few days, believing he should be fast-tracked into the role if he is to one day replace Clarke as captain of the national team.

Hussey is confident Smith will be captain - one day - but believes lumping him with the ‘‘c’’ prematurely could overload the 25-year-old batsman.

‘‘I think they will go for Brad Haddin,’’ Hussey said.

‘‘He is the vice-captain of the team at the moment, he’s got the experience.

‘‘I definitely think Steve Smith has got leadership qualities but there’s certainly no rush to put him in there.

‘‘Let him focus on his batting and really entrench himself into the middle order of that Australian team.

‘‘He could be playing for another 15 years so I just don’t see the need to rush it too much at this stage.

‘‘Just let him keep playing well and cementing his spot in the team.’’

Smith has been touted as a future Test captain for a couple of years now despite his age.

His time may come sooner than expected if Haddin and Clarke happen to miss a match at the same time, as the former rushes to be fit for the opening Test as well.

For Clarke, Friday’s latest hamstring drama has cast further doubt over his durability as a multi-format cricketer.

He has already pulled out of the ODI series against South Africa and is fighting to be fit for the India series.

But Australian selectors will be banking on him being available for the ICC World Cup in February.

While a minority of cricket pundits are urging Clarke to give up on 50-over and Twenty20 cricket to focus on Tests duties, Hussey says the skipper has to don the green and gold to help Australia fight for the World Cup trophy.

‘‘I think we need him for the World Cup,’’ Hussey said.

‘‘A fit Michael Clarke is definitely the right man to lead Australia to the World Cup.

‘‘He’s got so much experience and he’s played so well in that form of the game for such a long period of time.’’

Hussey teamed up with fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath in Canberra on Tuesday to help promote the CommBank Cricket Club Sponsorship program, which gives all clubs in NSW the chance to apply for $4000 of assistance over two years.