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With Mitchell Johnson announcing his retirement at the conclusion of the second Test versus New Zealand at the WACA, the Australian selectors must now decide who will join Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in Australia’s pace attack for the remaining four Tests this summer.
The two frontrunners for Johnson’s spot are Petter Siddle and James Pattinson, however Australia’s pace stocks run deep, leaving a strong crop of names on the table for the position beyond the 2015-16 season.
Siddle, the current twelfth man, appears the most obvious choice for the job after just missing out on selection for the Gabba Test behind all-rounder, Marsh.
Siddle’s last Test for Australia came in the final Ashes Test in August at The Oval, where he was the pick of the bowlers for Australia, finishing the match with figures of 2/32 and 4/35.
Throughout 57 Tests, the reliable workhorse of Australia’s pace attack has claimed 198 wickets at 29.87.
Pattinson is the other man tipped as a likely immediate replacement for Johnson.
It’s hard to believe his Test debut was almost four years ago (the Gabba Test versus New Zealand in 2011) given he is still just 25 years of age.
However, since 2011 injury has seen him only run out in 13 Tests (for a solid return of 51 wickets), his most recent coming in March, 2014 against South Africa in Cape Town.
In Pattinson’s favour is a very strong month of form throughout October for Victoria in the One-Day Cup and Sheffield Shield. He appears to have shaken off the injuries that have plagued him for the past two years, and thanks to a recently tweaked bowling style, looks primed to regain his Test spot.
Pat Cummins is another man that all Australian cricket fans would love to see return to the Test side sooner rather than later.
Since bursting into the side in 2011 and taking seven wickets against South Africa in Johannesburg, Cummins’ Test story has been frustratingly littered with injuries.
Cummins was selected in the team for the abandoned tour of Bangladesh before succumbing to what would be his third stress fracture in his back.
Still just 22 years of age, Cummins has a long career ahead of him in white for Australia, if he can get his body in a condition that can handle the strain of Test cricket.
Yet to make his Test debut, and only joining the Test squad for the first time at the age of 30 Andrew Fekete is one of the oldest, but freshest faces in the mix for selection.
After bursting onto the scene for Tasmania at 28 years old, Fekete earned a surprise selection in the abandoned Bangladesh squad off the back of his 37 wickets at 24.10 during the previous Sheffield Shield season.
An immediate selection of Fekete would be surprising considering the talent ahead of him, however a future call-up could certainly be on the cards, and in keeping with the recent habit Australian selectors have had of putting faith in mature players.
Each at 28 years of age Jackson Bird and Nathan Coulter-Nile are two more outsiders who will be hoping that solid domestic form would have them in the conversation.
Coulter-Nile is yet to play a Test for Australia, while Bird would be looking to increase his tally from three Tests.
Roarers, let us know who you would like to see as the long-term replacement for Mitchell Johnson in the Australian Test team by casting your vote in the form below.
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