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Upon reading the 17-man squad for the upcoming Twenty20 series against India on Monday morning, I was left stunned.
It wasn’t because George Bailey had been left out. It wasn’t because Shane Watson had earned yet another recall. It wasn’t even because Shaun Tait was in the squad.
It was because Matthew Wade was the selected as the only wicketkeeper in the squad.
The selection of Wade is an indication that he will most likely be the wicketkeeper that goes to the World Twenty20 in India.
Over the past few years, whenever Brad Haddin was either injured or rested from the one-day or Twenty20 side, the selectors would pick Wade. Not because he was the in-form keeper, but just because it was Matthew Wade, and even though other keepers were playing better. (Ben Dunk did play three Twenty20s against South Africa in November 2014.)
Tim Paine has been the in-form keeper of the Big Bash League, doing well with both the bat and the gloves, and he deserves the keeper’s position in the Australian squad. While he usually opens the batting for the Hobart Hurricanes, Paine should be able to bat down the order for the Australian team if he is required to.
The last time the Australian Test team went to India in 2013, Wade took just three catches from three matches. This cost him his spot in the Test side and he was replaced by Brad Haddin for the following Ashes series.
This shows that Wade is a poor keeper, especially against spin, and seeing as the tournament is in India, Paine should get the gloves over Wade.
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