Joe Burns and Peter Nevill should replace the retiring pair of Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin in the Australia Test and ODI sides respectively.
Rogers and Haddin in the past few days both announced their intentions to retire, the former from Test cricket after the Ashes and the latter from ODIs, effective immediately.
Neither decision came as a surprise, with both players set to turn 38 years old this year. They will, however, leave sizeable holes in the Australian teams, particularly Rogers.
The veteran opener has been a key element of Australia’s dramatic resurgence in Test cricket over the past 18 months. Rogers’ calm and experience in blunting the new ball, together with his steady accumulation, has perfectly complemented the more expansive and unpredictable strokeplay of David Warner.
It has been reported that Rogers has been more than just a good on-field fit for Warner, having also played a mentor-type role for the bombastic batsman. Their partnership has been a source of great strength for the Australians as they have once again become an elite Test team.
By the time he bows out, Rogers will have given Australia two years of solid service. His selection for the 2013 Ashes in England was unexpected. The professional manner in which he has gone about his cricket has not been.
Rogers was given a second crack at Test cricket, in part because there were few other options. Not much has changed. There is only one viable choice to replace Rogers – the fluent Queensland opener Burns.
The 25-year-old was fiercely unlucky to be overlooked for Australia’s 17-man squad for the upcoming Test tours of the West Indies and England. Burns cracked 124 runs in Australia’s last Test against India in Sydney.
An impressively versatile batsman, he did that while batting at six. Burns has floated around batting orders across his first-class career but has now settled, and flourished, as an opener.
He has 3479 runs at 43, including eight centuries, across his first-class career. Over the past two Shield seasons he has been a standout for the Bulls, creaming 1357 runs at 50. Burns has earned the right to replace Rogers.
Some people last summer were advocating a return to the baggy green of veteran Ed Cowan. The left hander was in phenomenal touch in the Shield before Christmas but his form waned in the second half of the season and, most relevantly, he will be 34 years old by the time Rogers steps down.
Australia are in need of generational change and openers like Burns, Cameron Bancroft and Jordan Silk are the next wave. Unlike Burns, however, who has strung together a long sequence of form, both Bancroft and Silk still need another good domestic season to fully prove themselves.
One man who has little to prove is Nevill. The New South Welshman is Australia’s Test keeper-in-waiting and also deserves the first shot at replacing Haddin in the ODI setup. Nevill is fresh from an incredibly prolific Shield campaign and was also the Blues’ leading runscorer in the domestic 50-over competition.
His career List A record is admittedly ordinary but I like the stability of having the same keeper in ODIs and Tests. Nevill clearly has the talent to justify an ODI selection so why not give him the opportunity to prove himself in both of the longer formats?
It is Victorian Matthew Wade who appears to be the frontrunner to take over from Haddin, after standing in for him last Australian summer. Wade is a powerful strokemaker but his keeping remains below international standard.
There is, of course, no shortage of other options. Queensland gloveman Chris Hartley is perennially overlooked for higher honours. He is the best pure gloveman in the nation and had a prolific summer with the blade. What holds him back is that he turns 33 next week.
Australia need to build their ODI team with a focus on the Champions Trophy in two-and-a-half years’ time. Considering that, Hartley’s age will count against him.
Tasmanian Brad Dunk bolted into the frame last summer with his record-smashing 229 not out in the domestic 50-over competition. He, too, would be a worthy selection and has only recently turned 28. Though I’m not convinced though that his glove work is as neat as Nevill’s.
The New South Welshmen should be next in line for both the Test and ODI teams, joining Burns as a fresh face in the national setup.
Spooky
Guest
Thanks for the update Bearfax, good news for Ed . I'm glad he will still be playing.
pat malone
Guest
i really think that its a misconception that a fast scorer needs a foil. its false logic
dan ced
Guest
All fair points. I think Klinger's only realistic shot at playing for his country is in T20I's at this age. I will be watching Khawaja and Lynn closely next shield season, hopefully they play uninterrupted (unless they get picked for AUS). I think they are better options than Burns, but I have nothing against Burns. Was happy he got a cap. Voges did this year what North did the year before, just kept blasting centuries in the shield, and that sort of form can't be ignored. Glad that folks like Voges, Ahmed and Nevill got noticed on the back of shield form. I also agree that Cowan has shown some consistency, and some attack. He went full Dravid in his later test appearances and usually got out for 30 off 200 balls, his recent form is encouraging. Follow the form! Bring on the Windies.
Bearfax
Guest
Dan Ced I know a lot of people seem to think Klinger is test quality and maybe he would succeed at that level. But his figures suggest inconsistency despite a good season in the last Sheffield Shield. He is still averaging only 38.55. Young Maddinson is only 23 and he's averaging better than that. Voges is a different issue because he has been a consistent heavy scorer year by year and is averaging 45.49...and he is only slightly older than Klinger. I know Klinger has some outstanding scores but like Shaun Marsh, he's too inconsistent for my liking. As for Bancroft, he is certainly one to watch and I suspect a future test player. But we're getting excited over one good Shield season, just like Silk had two years back. Both these kids have a future but Silk is averaging 33.67 and Bancroft 34.51. They've got a little more work to do on their consistency over the next 1-2 seasons and then we could have test rating batsmen. But not yet. Burns is worth looking at because he is only 2 years older than Silk and Bancroft yet is averaging a healthy 42.89. That suggests consistency and being young there is a potential long term future there, just like Lynn who averages 45.88 and is the same age. I like what Cowan has done because he was like Klinger and Shaun Marsh. Inconsistent. But he's now had a couple of solid years and boosted his average over the 40 mark. He's learned how to stick around and score big. That's why I would choose either him or Burns to open for now. For mine choosing one season wonders is fraught with danger.
dan ced
Guest
Can't go wrong with Klinger, if you want an experienced grafter of runs that is reliable and a good foil for Warner. If Veteran Voges made it in on weight of runs, Klinger was only just behind him and is younger! Putting a young person in there might put Warner under too much pressure. IF you go young, go Bancroft. I'm inclined to say he's shown enough. I like Burns but I'm not fully convinced, He hasn't shown the levels of dominance that Hughes and Khawaja have showed domestically. Watson and S.Marsh won't last much longer, their form is too topsy turvy. M.Marsh I'm not even full convinced is the right option either, do we need an all round seamer at all?
Nudge
Guest
Your spot on Bearfax. Another summer of people on the roar whinging about Haddin, while we listen to every single past player commentating saying how good a keeper he is.
Bearfax
Guest
Perceptive as always Armchair Expert. You are correct. Doran has signed with Tasmania for the next Shield season for , as he says, opportunity. Great move. He and Silk will make an outstanding pair for the apple isle
Armchair Expert
Guest
If you're referring to Jake Doran, I'm sure I heard he will be playing for Tasmania.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I'm not convinced Haddin won't go for a home farewell. If he was definitely retiring from Tests after the Ashes it would have been the perfect time to announce it along with his ODI retirement and Rogers' Test retirement. I could be wrong, it's just a gut feel.
Quitwhinging
Guest
Ronan, in his interview Haddin said it would most likely be his last overseas tour and Australia go to Bangladesh in October. He may announce his retirement after the Ashes series done to avoid a commotion.
Bearfax
Guest
Ronan if Haddin is settling in for another season I guess that means we can expect from this forum a last summer whine
Stephen
Guest
Agreed Anu, Khawaja for me is the one to watch out too. For the keepers I would personally go for either Hartley but we are not in bad hands to have Neville or Wade there too and don’t forget Whiteman
Stephen
Guest
Bearfax for me Khawaja is the man to watch out too, for the last 3 years Hughes and Khawaja have been the guys we have been building for our batting lineup, I was so upset at the passing of Hughes who would have taken Rogers spot but we can’t make the same mistake with Khawaja in igoring him too long and with Boof, Waugh and Marsh there we can hopefully give him a full series to show what he can do as previously he has only got 2 games at any one time unlike say Cowan who got nearly 20 games in a row.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I initially thought Nevill was a lock to replace Haddin, because I figured he would retire at the end of the Ashes. But the fact Haddin announced his retirement from ODIs this week but made no mention of quitting Tests suggests to me he wants to push on and have one last Aussie summer. That throws the race for his replacement wide open. If Nevill has a poor/average Shield season and someone like Whiteman blazes then suddenly Nevill will miss the boat.
Stephen
Guest
Can we please move on from Cowan
Stephen
Guest
It has to be Khawaja for me too
Quitwhinging
Guest
I don't think they're sold on the future test keeper either. If they were sold on Nevill, someone like Whiteman would be the Australia 'A' wicketkeeper with Wade playing solely as a batsman
Quitwhinging
Guest
Yeah, because you get picked for test teams by limited overs peformances...
Bearfax
Guest
I suspect Khawaja will take a little time to come back after injury, but I'm expecting big things from him by the next Shield season. Too much talent. He's my wild card for a test spot next year. Just depends on whether he comes back as strong as I suspect he will. Look out for some big scores if I'm right
Anu
Guest
World in cricket I also think Khawaja will do well and that's why he is captain of the Aus A side, he would be a tremendous partner for Warner at the top