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Don't pick Hughes in Tests - not yet

23rd August, 2014
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Phil Hughes. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Expert
23rd August, 2014
122
1778 Reads

Phil Hughes should be overlooked for Australia’s Test tour against Pakistan in October – for his own good.

There was widespread dismay among Australian cricket followers when the New South Wales prodigy was overlooked for the ODI squad to go to Zimbabwe later this month.

The outrage was justified – Hughes owns a phenomenal domestic 50-over record, has been solid in his limited ODI career and had just smashed an imperious double ton against South Africa A.

Hughes eventually found his way into Australia’s ODI squad due to an injury to Shane Watson, although you could argue he should have been included originally ahead of blooming Test star Steve Smith.

But as far as Tests go, the selectors must be crafty in their handling of Hughes. After a startling beginning to his Test career – he scored a ton in each innings of his second match – he has looked mentally shot during his past two stints donning the baggy green.

Between December 2010 and December 2011 Hughes played 10 Tests on the trot for a batting average of 24. He returned to the side 12 months later and, over a run of nine Tests, averaged 29.

In the first case it was his floundering efforts to combat pacemen, most famously New Zealand trundler Chris Martin, which saw him dumped. In the latter period, Hughes was exposed as being woefully ill-equipped against Test-level slow bowling.

His handling of the spinners in the series in India and England last year was as inept as I have witnessed from any specialist Test batsman. Across those two series, he made just 83 runs against spin – from an extraordinary 335 balls faced – while gifting his wicket nine times.

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There are three main modes of tackling tweakers employed by good Test batsmen. Firstly, they can use their feet to get to the pitch of the ball and negate the turn.

Secondly, they can employ the sweep shot for a similar reason. Thirdly, they can exploit the full depth of the crease, taking giant strides forward to drive, or stepping right back almost on to their stumps to cut and pull.

These approaches force the spinner to change his lengths and take the bowler out of their comfort zone. Any successful player of spin bowling uses at least one of these strategies. The great ones, like former Australian champion Mike Hussey, take advantage of all three.

Last time around, Hughes neglected the lot of them. He stayed stuck to his crease and poked at the ball. His style of play was a dream for opposition spinners. The left-hander was cannon fodder.

As such, the Australian selectors should be cruel to be kind and leave him out of the likely 15-man squad for the two-Test tour of the UAE in October. Facing the world’s best spinner Saeed Ajmal on dry wickets, which may take considerable turn, is the worst possible scenario for Hughes’ comeback.

When he returned to the Test team last time he had clearly honed his modus operandi against quicks and he looked all the better for it. He was not closing himself off to the same extent as he had previously and, as a result, scored more freely through the leg side.

The strokemaker has wonderful gifts and, at just 25 years old and with a remarkable first-class record, may yet become a dominant Test player.

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But the selectors should be mindful of his mental struggles during his past two Test stints, particularly against spin last year, and offer him a gentle re-introduction to the top level.

After the series against Pakistan, Australia have 22 consecutive Tests in which opposition spinners are unlikely to pose major threats.

They have India at home (four Tests), West Indies away (two), England away (five), Bangladesh away (two), New Zealand at home (three), West Indies at home (three) and New Zealand away (three).

Australia should not encounter its next robust spin challenge until July 2016 when they tour Sri Lanka. By that time Hughes could be well entrenched in the team, having built confidence and form to help him conquer such a task.

The young strokemaker has something special. But he needs to be managed carefully so as to coax that talent out of him at Test level.

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