The recent first Test in the West Indies gave us a brief insight into the Australian Test team’s top order future, with Chris Rogers unfortunately ruled out due to concussion.
Shaun Marsh played well opening the batting while Adam Voges made the most of his opportunity, scoring 130 not out in his first dig.
With Chris Rogers to call and end of his international career at the end an Ashes campaign, it still leaves the question who to replace him at the top with his explosive partner David Warner. A number of batsmen have had a good Sheffield Shield season who could fill Bucky’s shoes, with Shaun Marsh a frontrunner.
Marsh had an excellent Aussie summer, averaging 64.18.
Does the selection panel go back and give previous openers another chance? The likes of Usman Khawaja – who is on the road to recovery after injuring his knee – could feature.
Joe Burns is another. While playing for Queensland he averaged 52.86 with the stick, resulting in him playing two Test matches for Australia against India where he averaged 36.
He didn’t open but I’m sure he’ll be up for the chance if given. Callum Ferguson also had a good summer, another player to average more than 50 with the stick. Having played both ODIs and Twenty20, surely its time to give him a chance in the Test arena.
Maybe we look further down the track and aim for the long run with youth, picking the likes of Peter Handscomb and Cameron Bancroft. Yes both Bancroft and Handscomb are both keepers but if given a chance will play a similar role that they both did for respective states when Wade and Whiteman were in the squad.
Handscomb played 10 Shield games averaging 53.91, while Bancroft played an addition match with a slightly less average at 47.15. Although both players won’t get the call up straight away, both should definitely be on the selector’s radar in the future.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.
Featuring Aussie cricket star Usman Khawaja and taking inspiration from multiple horror films, Amazon Prime's promo for the 2024 T20 World Cup has certainly…
After a career that has spanned more than two decades, James Anderson leaves cricket as a legend of the game, up there with the…
Calvin Harrison mixed things up in his delivery stride starting behind the-non-striker, then going between the umpire and the stumps to deliver the ball…
Backing up too far, the Dehli Capitals batsman was caught out of his crease when Shai Hope hit the ball to the bowler who…
After some mid-over words between the Indian teammates as Kohli belted Shama for 10 runs in two balls, the bowler had the last laugh…
The TV Umpire ruled that the batsman deliberately changed his line to block the throw at the stumps.
