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If we are to give the Poms a run for their money in the upcoming Ashes, we need to settle on a stable batting line-up.
Batsmen are not going to perform at their best if they are constantly worried about their place in their team.
Sure the team at the moment isn’t that of 10 years ago, but it is not as gloomy as it seems. There is potential, it just has to be realised by the selectors.
The team picked for the third Test in India was criticized, but it is actually not a bad team.
Sure you’d put James Pattinson in for Xavier Doherty and Matt Wade for Brad Haddin. But apart from that it was a team that showed some strength.
The real stand out was Steve Smith. He showed he can hold his own against spin, and reads the game well. I was very disappointed when he got stumped, he was very unlucky not to get a hundred.
He would be more selectable if he got help from Shane Warne to improve his leggies.
David Warner looks completely out of sorts with his new style of bating. He does not have the strongest defence and has lost his ability to put fear into the opposition, forcing them to push out their field.
It is also encouraging watching the Sheffield Shield, and young players like Joe Burns, and Jordan Silk making some runs for their states.
Young bowlers such as Gurinder Sandhu and Josh Hazlewood are taking wickets for NSW, and James Faulkner took seven when Tasmania needed it. I also enjoyed watching Ryan Harris destroy the Western Australia batting line-up, pushing for his place in the Ashes squad.
My starting XI:
Ed Cowan
Dave Warner (if he plays more to his natural game)
Phil Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Michael Clarke
Steve Smith
Matt Wade/Tim Paine
James Pattinson
Ryan Harris
Jackson Bird
Ashton Agar/Fawad Ahmed (if his citizenship gets approved)
I would also bring along:
Pat Cummins
Mitch Starc
Peter Siddle
Josh Hazlewood
Alex Doolan
Joe Burns
Callum Fergurson
Moises Henriques
Nathan Lyon
Paine/Wade (depending which one made the side)
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