The biggest problem for the Aussie cricket team heading into June’s Ashes series is not the loss of Ricky Ponting or Mike Hussey. It’s not the controversial rotation policy or Shane Watson’s fragile calves.
The biggest problem for Australia is that we don’t know what it is.
Six months out from the Ashes, with only one more Test series to go, there are far too many unknowns in this side.
Ed Cowan and David Warner have opened as a pair for about a year now, but still plenty of people question whether this is our strongest combination.
Look at the next names on the list and you’ve got two other openers in Hughes and Watson, with the latter’s record suggesting his best cricket will not be played at second-drop.
The consistency of Michael Clarke and Hussey this summer has been probably the only section of the line-up seemingly protected from a bit of tinkering – bar the push for Clarke to enter the batting earlier.
With Hussey retiring, the Aussie bats look increasingly vulnerable and unpredictable.
Australia has a rare opportunity to experiment with some younger players and test out combinations in its current phase of transition and this is exactly what it should do.
There is plenty of merit in allowing some lesser lights to have a crack on the international stage.
However, the selections this summer have felt more haphazard than strategic.
All those who have been granted an opportunity had proven themselves domestically, but the selectors do not seem to have a clear idea of the pecking order.
With only one more home Test left, Australia does not seem any closer to establishing our best XI.
And time is running out.
Yes, we still have India and some lead-up matches in England, however Australia cannot still be experimenting with the line-up come the northern summer.
Teammates need to establish a relationship and an understanding of one another. This is especially crucial for cricket, where so much is reliant upon the chemistry of players.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to have the exact same team every match, but that’s a discussion for another day.
What is does mean is that selections need to be less of a lucky dip and more of a calculated bet.
Australia does not have the automatic intimidation factor or air of invincibility that the teams of the 90s and 00s had.
Retirements and the nature of sport rendered this transitional period inevitable and you can’t always control that.
However, the selectors can control the line-up of their sides and to do that, they need to establish in their own minds who fits in where.
For the best chance at an Ashes victory, Australia needs to arrive in England with a clear idea of who should be playing and, just as importantly, where they should be playing.
Pick someone and stick with them.
Mark T
Guest
A lot of opportunity has been invested in Cowan but the question is: do we believe he can perform at the top in the coming tours? I don't and for mine it doesn't make sense to stick with a player if you don't. I know it's risky but perhaps it's time to end Cowan's career and have a top 7 of Watson, Warner, Hughes, Khawaja, Clarke, Maxwell, Wade. It's untested and I have a bad feeling that the Ashes are all but gone. However, it's the best we can do at this stage.
The no. Three
Guest
And to you my fellow good judge. Watto's bowling is great, fact is he gets injured often as a result,therefore, it puts him out and he doesn't get to bat either. He can bowl in the shorter formats I say.
TheGenuineTailender
Roar Guru
I think Watson's bowling is very good, but should be treated as a luxury. Turned to if someone is injured or as a partnership breaker. He shouldn't give it up all together because he's a quality bowler and his figures back that up. You've basically got the same side as me so kudos to you for being awesome.
TheGenuineTailender
Roar Guru
Watson and Warner open, they have the two best records opening of the lot. They're world class when you look at their averages as openers. How you can then justify that Watson should bat six and Ed Cowan averaging 33 should be at the top of Australia's order is beyond me. As I said before, Hughes is suited to three, Usman Khawaja fits nicely into the Australian middle order at four, Michael Clarke keeps doing his thing at five and David Hussey is a like for like switch with his brother, he's also got a good couple of years left in him which allows ample time for another young batsman to step up, hopefully that can be Joe Burns. Maxwell is far more likely to be getting picked as a batsman than as an all rounder. He bowls some handy part time spin, but so does Clarke, doesn't make him an all rounder. Having an all-rounder is a luxury, if you've got a quality one, make the most of it, but they've got to be able to hold their own in the side as a specialist in both departments, not be merely handy in both areas.
The no. Three
Guest
My dear Watson must now, at nearly 32, forget bowling, maybe 5-8 overs in some test matches. He looks too solid, like Kallis these days, they can break down just running in to bowl. I was cringing when Kallis was bowling in the first Test, and guess what, he broke down! Watson should just bat as opener, where his output is at its best. My side is: Watson, Warner, Hughes (for now), Khawaja, Clarke (c) D Hussey,(a mile of experience in England, lives there in winter), Wade, Pattinson, Siddle, Lyon, Bird and Starc as no.12.
Rodney
Guest
I would leave Cowan at the top, have watto at 6 so he can bowl with some rest and bring khawaja in at 4
Rodney
Guest
Happy for Johnson and hopefully he plays a bug part in the ashes but he shouldn't come in as a all rounder, Khawaja should bat at 6, Wade at 7 and Johnson at 8
sheek
Roar Guru
The easy part is saying Cowans is rubbish. The not so easy part is finding a better balanced batting lineup. The operative word being "finding." Selection is a two-way street & right now players aren't jumping out in front of the selectors left, right & centre with their credentials. The top six named above by Dan is really the best we have with Maxwell perhaps an alternate option. But the guys aren't knocking the door down. And until they do Cowans is entitled to remain in the team. btn, I don't think it is a question of we don't know what we want but rather we haven't found it yet. We know what we want, but it's not available to us right now. Some of the things we want is a top-flight opener, another top-flight middle-order batsman, a top-flight allrounder, a top-flight spinner & Cummins & Pattinson fit & firing on most days.
TheGenuineTailender
Roar Guru
Ed Cowan is rubbish, he belongs no where near our best side. Cummins has played one test nearly two years ago. Thus I disagree.
Dan
Guest
Cowan Warner Hughes Khawaja Clarke (c) Watson Wade Pattinson Siddle Cummins Lyon Bird 12th man Barring injuries that's our best side. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
TheGenuineTailender
Roar Guru
I'm no where near convinced we have our best XI at the moment. Not dropping asking Ponting to go out on top after the India series last summer is now biting us on the ass. We have not given ourselves the chance to test out some new batsmen and we don't know who can do the job. Siddle, Pattinson and Lyon make up the backbone of our bowling unit, but the third seamers position is highly debatable. I'm in favour of Micthell Starc, he's played some of his best cricket in England and we all know how much talent he has. In regards to the batting line up. I feel a simple swap between from one Hussey to another would be nearly seamless. David is just as professional as his older brother and has a fantastic first class record. I wouldn't be surprised if he could produce a couple of years of quality test cricket. The rest of the order is less clear. I'm in favour of Usman Khawaja coming into the side. I feel Shane Watson is one of the two best opening batsmen in the country, his record there supports this and thus I feel he should partner Warner at the top, his bowling should be treated as a luxury and used sparingly, but let us not forget he has a better test match bowling average than Mitchell Johnson. Ed Cowan is far from test quality and isn't making the runs he needs to, because of this I've dropped him from my team. Phil Highes remains at three. He is better suited to playing the spinners than the two openers. Usman Khawaja is in at number four, he's all class and with time will grow handsomely into a role in our middle order. Clarke stays at five and Huss junior at six. I'm a fan of Matthew Wade and he keeps his place comfortably for mine. Obviously a squad will be taken on these two upcoming tours. The spare batsman for me is Alex Doolan. I think he's got the potential to do the job at test level and showed his talent with a big ton against the Safas late last year. My spare keeper is Tim Paine, he's a very good keeper, highly overrated batsman though. Having an all-rounder is a luxury, and trying to replace Watson with Glenn Maxwell is crazy. Maxwell's bowling is so far from test quality it's not even funny. My touring party consists of Michael Beer whose left-arm orthodox adds variety. Mitchell Johnson is a like-for-like replacement for Starc, Jackson Bird comes in for Siddle or Pattinson if either break down and Ben Hilfenhaus is extra back-up. Having an all-rounder is a luxury, and trying to replace Watson with Glenn Maxwell is crazy. Maxwell's bowling is so far from test quality it's not even funny.