With the Australian test team seemingly running out of steam, how do they not only recover in the series against India, but ensure they have a successful future?
Despite having lost just two test matches since the away Ashes series in 2023, Australia have come under scrutiny by their fans and wider cricket watchers for their recent form. With the retirement of long-time opener David Warner following the home series against Pakistan at the start of 2024, the search for the team’s next great opener has been on. Australian champion Steve Smith tried his hand at the role, with limited success in his four test matches.
So, is the Australian cricket team now in a period of evolution and what do they do with the team moving forward?
McSweeney’s ‘Bradbury-esque’ opening selection
Many candidates for Australia’s elusive opening position were put forward. They were tried and tested through Sheffield Shield cricket and Australia A duties, it looked as though nobody wanted to take the chance.
Harris, Bancroft, Inglis, Konstas, McSweeney and existing squad members in Travis Head or Mitch Marsh threw their hats in the ring. Unfortunately for Bancroft he scored just 107 runs in his 14 innings' at an abysmal average of 7.6 in the months leading up to the first test of the summer. His poor form leading into the summer of cricket ultimately made him unpickable for the test squad.
Marcus Harris fared much better, averaging 43 in the months leading up to the test, including a scintillating 143 for Victoria and a solid 74 for Australia A. However, despite good form, you can’t help but think that his previous performances in the green and gold worked against him with selection.
George Bailey and the Aussie selectors were also reluctant to significantly change the batting lineup, opting against shifting Head or Marsh to the top of the order. Probably a wise decision given they don’t open the batting for their home states in first-class cricket.
Then there was Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old who burst onto the scene with back-to-back hundreds in his fifth first-class outing, smacking 152 and 105 for New South Wales. While he also scored an unbeaten 73* in a game against India A, several low scores after that poured cold water on his test hopes.
In the end selectors went with the South Australian number three Nathan McSweeney who averaged 85 in his five recent matches, including an 88* against India A in Mackay. His knocks included two hundreds in as many weeks in October. But in a dark opening test match for the Aussies, McSweeney failed to fire with low scores of 10 and zero.
It remains to be seen who the successor to David Warner will be moving forward, but McSweeney will be given every chance to prove himself in the role for the remaining four test matches.
Struggling stars
Although India piled on 487 runs and declared in their second innings in Perth, the Aussies major issues lie within their top-order batting unit. At 35 years of age, Steve Smith is undoubtedly past his prime, but the Aussies still firmly believe that he can contribute to this team moving forward and hope runs come sooner rather than later for him.
After a fairytale first few years in test cricket for Marnus Labuschagne, he has experienced a significant decline in form in recent seasons. The 30-year-old has 11 test centuries with an impressive average of 48.45 but hasn’t scored a century since July 2023 against England. He averages just 22 in his last nine tests, well down on his average of 56 in his first 42 tests. There has been talk of omitting Labuschagne from the team given his recent struggles, but he has been publicly backed by selector George Bailey and coach Andrew McDonald. One thing is for sure, Australia need both these stars to deliver soon.
History against Aussies
Australia historically hasn't matched up well against India, with the Rohit Sharma-led side being the only team Australia doesn’t haven’t a winning record against in the last eight years at test level. The Aussies haven’t won a test series against India since 2014/15 and will be desperate to wrestle back ascendancy and get a grasp on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy once more.
Bumrah threat
The Australian batsmen struggled to navigate Bumrah and the new ball in the first test. As one of the best bowlers in the world, it was always going to be tough but his early wickets stifled any momentum across Australia’s batting innings'. The Aussies would've no doubt been working hard on a solution to defend the swinging and seaming ball since the first test. Australian great Michael Clarke suggested that the top order should bat on off-stump to get outside the line of the stumps for when they are struck on the pads.
Not taking anything away from Mohammad Siraj and Harshit Rana, but India's reliance on Bumrah is strong, so if Pat Cummins' men can get through the new ball and allow the ball to soften, they are a different threat and will be able to post big scores for their bowlers to defend.
What will the Aussies do at the selection table?
Andrew McDonald and his coaching staff will be forced to make at least one change, with fast bowler Josh Hazlewood already ruled out with a left-side injury. You sense Scott Boland is the obvious replacement, having waited in the wings for the Aussies across the last few test tours.
Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett were called into the national squad as cover, having shown strong first-class form, but both players are considered very unlikely to pull on the baggy green anytime soon.
The form of Labuschagne has come under question, with the exuberant character well below his best over the last few seasons. Josh Inglis is the next man up and has opened the batting across all forms for Western Australia, also for Australia in T20 and ODI cricket.
Inglis is definitely an option to replace Labuschagne and jump up to open the batting, then allowing McSweeney to move down to his preferred position of three, while Smith would stay at his customary number four role. However, despite all this, Labuschagne is expected to be backed in again for this test match and given another chance. But mark my words, heads will roll if Australia cannot turn their fortunes around in the traditional day-night test match in the city of churches.
"Heads will roll if Australia cannot turn their fortunes around"
Aging squad
While age is just a number, some of the Australian players' performances have seriously declined as they’ve got older, in a worrying sign for Australia’s test future. Ten of the 11 players selected for the last test match were 30 or older, with only debutant Nathan McSweeney younger than that. While Usman Khawaja has seemingly got better with age, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and even Mitch Marsh’s form in recent times has dwindled.
What do you think Australian cricket fans, is it time to blood youngsters in Josh Inglis, Sam Konstas, and bowlers like Todd Murphy and Spencer Johnson? Or do we back in our champions that have got us over the line in matches time and time again?
All our questions will be answered when the Aussies meet India at Adelaide Oval, with the day-night pink ball match starting tomorrow, December 6th.
Coverage on Kayo starts at 1.30pm AEDT, with the first ball to be bowled at 3pm AEDT.
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