Young Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft deserves to make his Test debut in the day-night Test against New Zealand after the in-form Usman Khawaja suffered a hamstring injury at the WACA yesterday.
Khawaja has cracked 304 runs at an average of 152 since returning to the Test team in Brisbane but is unlikely to play any further part in this series after hobbling from the field early in the last session yesterday.
It was a cruel blow for the 28-year-old who had cemented his place as Australia’s new first drop with some serene yet dominant batting against the Kiwis.
The severity of Khawaja’s injury was not known at the time of writing this piece but even minor hamstring strains are tricky to manage and usually require a fortnight’s rest.
It would be unwise to rush Khawaja back for the day-night Test in Adelaide, which starts just 12 days from now.
The decision on who replaces Khawaja at first drop for the third Test against New Zealand may well be influenced by the result of the ongoing match at the WACA.
If the Kiwis manage to force a draw, keeping the series alive heading to Adelaide, that could sway the selectors to make a more conservative selection.
With a series win the only things on their minds, the selectors might be swayed to pick a more experienced batsman such as 32-year-old Shaun Marsh or 35-year-old Michael Klinger.
Marsh, a long-time favourite of the selectors, has been in poor touch in the Sheffield Shield, with just 110 runs at an average of 27 which harms his chances.
Klinger, meanwhile, has carried over his prolific form from the recent English county season.
He started the Shield season with a brilliant double of 202no and 50no against what was almost a Test-strength Tasmanian attack featuring James Faulkner, Jackson Bird, Andrew Fekete and Xavier Doherty.
Klinger has the advantage of having vast experience at the Adelaide Oval, where he made several thousand runs for South Australia across all formats.
He also has a long run of form behind him, having piled up 1886 runs at 54 in the Shield over the past three seasons.
Australian selector Rod Marsh revealed just before the Brisbane Test that his panel had given serious consideration to including Klinger in the first Test team.
It would make more sense however, particularly if the Adelaide Test is a dead rubber, to blood wonderfully gifted 22-year-old Bancroft.
The West Australian is an opener but would gladly accept the challenge of batting at three.
Australia’s best Test batting prospect under the age of 25, he had a fantastic 2014-15 Shield season and last week compiled a calm 111 as wickets fell all around him against South Australia.
Just as impressively, he was easily the most prolific batsman on either side in the two unofficial Tests between Australia A and India A in Chennai in July.
Australia have been rewarded for investing in relative youth so far this summer, picking Khawaja and Burns ahead of the much older Marsh, Klinger and Ed Cowan, who also was pushing for a Test recall.
Amid a major rebuild following a raft of retirements, the selectors would be wise to continue this policy by picking Bancroft.
Gregory smith
Guest
Have you all looked at Klingers Stats recently? Forget his age & look at his numbers! Bancroft has been damaged by the selectors just like they did to Phil Hughes when he was said to be the next best thing in his early days. They picked him early, dropped him as quickly as they could & he went into a form slump. It was only once he matured that he started to find his feet again. Look at Bancrofts latest Shield scores. Look at Bancroft now. Klinger is fit, in the form of his life, is happy playing cricket and obviously has no desire to end his career. Does Australia want to win or spend the next 5 years blooding the young talent that aren't ready? Why not get Klinger in, enjoy his success and talent & when he's ready to end then the likes of Bancroft, Head, Handscomb, Dean etc...will be mature and ready.
Nudge
Guest
Going for Klinger would be a massive backward step. The only way you might consider him was if voges got injured. Even then though he shouldn't be selected
dan ced
Guest
Deja Vu, Bancroft out for 4 again! This time LBW to Ahmed. Klinger has the opportunity to chase down runs for a WA win tomorrow, hopefully he adds more runs to his tally.
HB
Guest
Another vote here for shifting Smith up to three and putting Maxwell in at five. Maxwell offers an extra bowling option and is brilliant in the field. Otherwise Klinger.
dan ced
Guest
It's not a consolation cap if he's a better bat (with recent form to back it up) than all the younger batters being talked about.. It's a sound selection.
Bearfax
Guest
Abigail. You have just won us the formula for our next test win.
Perry Bridge
Guest
and if 40 isn't the requirement - then Peter Handscomb - who suffers a little now for the washout in Sydney - as his last 2 1st class outings are 137 v QLD and back in Sept in England 53 and 39* vs Leicestershire. Currently 35* and perhaps batting like a man on a mission to give the selectors a wave.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Most the guys being proposed have 1st class avg's of below 40. So - if we made 40 a minimum then Glenn Maxwell fits into a very select group. Him....Cowan.....not much else with Wade injured. And - with an eye to moving forward rather than recycling - then forget messers Bailey, S.March and Doolan. But - why not take a brave punt on a kid like Travis Dean.
jammel
Guest
Yep, I've been impressed with Mitch Marsh's bowling offering of late. He is adding two or three times what Watto used to - both in terms of penetration and wickets, and in terms of being able to bowl more. You never feel he's just going to keel over. Batting is an issue. I'd give Marsh the whole summer to make some runs. I think he just needs to come in at 4/180 or thereabouts rather than 4/500+.... I think it helps MMarsh having a batsman like Nevill at seven - a high quality wk batsman, who can steady an innings as well as counterattack. Mitch Marsh definitely needs a hundred this summer to show he is a genuine top six contender - and a few decent 40s and 50s would help too.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Smithy to no.3. Maxi in at 5.
abigail
Guest
Perhaps George Bailey is the best option. Burns is clearly unsuited to fielding at short leg and George's constantly smiling face seems to upset opponents no end.
jammel
Guest
That's a bit harsh Nudge. I don't think you can sensibly suggest Faulkner at #6 or even #7 just yet for Australia in Tests - without unduly weakening the batting. Perhaps in the future. But I do think Faulkner would bat above Pattinson in Tests.
jammel
Guest
I'd go Bancroft personally, irrespective of the state of the series. If not Bancroft, I'd prefer to see Klinger (or even Cowan) given a go ahead of SMarsh.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Mitch Marsh should be given until the end of the Windies series to prove himself with the bat. His bowling has really added an edge to the Aussie attack and bought him extra time. In his past six Tests he has taken 13 wickets at an average of 22, which is sensational for an all-rounder, particularly given they have come in what have not been easy series. The most impressive part of his bowling though is that he dismisses good batsmen. Of those 13 wickets, 11 have been top seven batsmen, while his other two were of Doug Bracewell, who averages 24 with the bat in FC cricket. So he's not taking cheap wickets.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"A good opener can surely bat at 3." Yeah you would think so, unless that player is horribly nervous and hates waiting to bat (which apparently Burns does). It surely is harder to move from 3 up to opening than the other way around.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"Surely picking Bancroft for 1 test then dumping him for Khawaja would be damaging." See I would actually see it the opposite way...Bancroft could play under far less pressure knowing that he was just filling in not fighting to hold onto his spot as any new player normally is. I think it would actually be a softer introduction to Tests for Bancroft. When Khawaja returns could then go back to Shield cricket, develop his game more and when a full-time spot opens up in the team he could tackle it without the added pressure of making his debut.
Bearfax
Guest
Quite the opposite Dan. If he knows he is getting a taste of test cricket and knows he is next in line, he'll grab the opportunity with open arms. He'll know he's not being dropped because its obvious Khawaja will get his spot back, but it will tell young Bancroft, his time is near and the selectors are looking at him closely as next in line. That would be very encouraging to know. The experience will be a gold mine for him.
Bearfax
Guest
Ahmed is still a question mark in my mind. He looks at times the goods and then has a succession of very average games. His first class average is pretty decent so in my mind its worth consideration. I mean if they are going to ignore the best spin wicket taker in the country in O'Keefe, they may as well try out the next best, and that seems to be Ahmed.
Bearfax
Guest
Starc is coming of age. I think he's going to be Australia's go to bowler pretty soon.
Bearfax
Guest
Yeh I would give Mitch a reasonable run. His bowling is up to par and fielding is fine. Just needs to work on the batting. But I wouldnt touch him until the West Indies games are over and then assess. Too soon to do a reasonable judgement