We’ve been here before. In 2013 George Bailey’s blazing ODI form vaulted him into the Test team for the home series against England.
Australia humiliated the Poms 5-0. But Bailey’s time in the baggy green lasted only as long as the Ashes, in which he made 187 runs at 26.
Bailey was exposed by the England quicks, who repeatedly coaxed him into sparring at length deliveries outside off stump. That series underlined Bailey’s weakness against quality pace bowling.
Now, however, it is Bailey’s proficiency against spin which is pushing his name back before the Test selectors. The 34-year-old was the standout batsman from either side in the recent ODI series in Sri Lanka, with 270 runs at 67.
That large run haul was built on his calm and clever play against the Sri Lankan spinners. In a low-scoring series, the home tweakers often got the ball to turn and bounce wildly from parched surfaces.
Rarely, in the modern era, do limited overs international surfaces offer such assistance to spinners.
A couple of the decks in this series were more difficult for batting than the pitches on which Australia batting line-up subsided time and again in the Tests.
Bailey did something that was sorely lacking from the Australian batting in the Tests – he countered the spin by smothering it.
When the ball was floated up, he skipped down the deck and met it on the full or half volley. At other times he went down on one knee to sweep the ball. His use of the reverse sweep was particularly clean.
This made it difficult for the Sri Lankan spinners to settle into a consistent line. It also upset the plans of the man setting the field, skipper Angelo Mathews.
Bailey’s clinical sweeping was particularly notable due to the fact that this shot was rarely executed with authority by any of the Australians in the Test series. It is an invaluable tool in Asia, both for rotating the strike and finding the boundary.
The Sri Lankan batsmen swept Australia’s spinners into submission in the Tests. The Pakistan batsmen did the same thing in 2014 as they crushed Australia 2-0 in the UAE.
If the Australian Test batsmen ignore these approaches and continue to play mostly from the crease, as they did in Sri Lanka, they will be obliterated in the four Tests in India.
Bailey’s assured handling of the home tweakers likely will have piqued the interest of the Australian selectors. With 941 runs at an average of 61, he has a phenomenal ODI record in Asia.
Bailey earned Test selection via the short forms before, could he do it again for the upcoming tour of India? It may well be possible after Australian coach Darren Lehmann suggested yesterday that limited overs form would be considered when picking the squad for India.
Personally I would favour a younger batsman, like 25-year-old Peter Handscomb, as I wrote last week Since that piece was published, Handscomb cracked a wonderful 87 for Australia A in a very low-scoring four-day match against India A. Timing the ball superbly, Handscomb looked locked on for a sizeable ton before he was run out.
While Handscomb is the better option for India, in my mind, Bailey’s batting in the ODIs did suggest he would be a finer prospect in those conditions than the likes of Usman Khawaja or Adam Voges.
After being tied in knots by the Sri Lankan spinners in the Tests, Khawaja again looked flummoxed by slow bowling against the white ball. His return of 48 runs at 12 in the limited overs matches will not have helped his case for selection in India.
An imperious player of pace bowling, Khawaja deserves to be reinstated at first drop for the upcoming home Tests against South Africa. But he cannot possibly tour India. Even Bailey would be a superior option.
Rats
Guest
I can't believe Aussie fans think Aus will get drubbed 0-4 in India... Let us not over-rate Indian bowlers. SL spin attack is much better than India's. Aus selectors should be smart and I completely agree with this article. Taking Finch and Bailey is not only brave and a sensible decision, considering all other batting options failed in SL. I would even pick Maxwell in the squad. Finch, Warner, Bailey attacking Ashwin... If it comes off, Indian bowling is no more a concern. You have a bowler in Starc who is a bowler for all conditions. The best to clean up lower order. And Indian top order batsmen have had trouble against conventional off spin bowing as well. Really Aus can surprise many by picking the right team and batting with good aggressive approach.
craig swanson
Guest
Nudge. I was referring to his 38/39.. second last innings then. You are splitting hairs. The fact is with the pressure off he looked like a capable player of spin.
armchair expert
Guest
Colin, it appears you have your wires crossed between Maxwell's T20 and ODI form.
ColinP
Guest
Was this another stat based reply......
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Bearfax I've been a big supporter of Khawaja and would have him in my Test XI for the upcoming home series against SA and Pak because he's a fine player of pace bowling. But the way he played spin in SL was as bad as I've seen from a specialist Test batsman. You say "let him learn" but the issue is that a) He looks mentally shot against spin, absolutely terrfied by it b) He is making the same mistakes now that he made 3 years ago against Swann ... getting stuck to the crease for ages before eventually lashing out with a rash shot. I don't see any issue in sitting Khawaja on the sidelines for the India tour and bringing him straight back in after that (if his form warrants). That tour of India is Australia's only trial-by-spin in Tests until March 2019 in the UAE against Pakistan, so just leave Khawaja out of the India tour and look toplay him in all the other pace-heavy series over the next 2-3 years.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
No point in having three spin bowlers. Two should be more than enough considering that ours never do anything in India. It's our quicks that will do the job more than the spin bowlers.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Maxwell never looks terrified against anything. He's like Warner that way. They may look like complete idiots but it's not fear that's their problem.
bearfax
Guest
Amazing Ronan. Reading many of these comments reminds me of two or three years ago when so many were extolling the virtues of Bailey , and knocking Khawaja. Two ordinary performances after a couple of outstanding series, and he's suddenly on the nose. And for who would he give up his spot. 34 year old Bailey with a test average of 26 and first class average of 39. I felt like one of the minority a few years back when I suggested he wasnt a test player, but he was a fine one day player. Seems the minority got it right back then so what's changed. Last thing you want is to knock Khawaja down again, like so many including coaches have done before. At his best he is world class. OK he may have work to do on facing spin, but for goodness sake let him learn
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Bailey would certainly be a better prospect than Khawaja, but he is an ODl specialist and Australia will be playing Tests only in India.
ColinP
Guest
Ronan I know secretly you are rejoicing at my return to these hallowed comment threads.....apologies for the time away, I have been cryogenically frozen like Sly Stallone in "demolition man", only to be thawed years later to specifically annoy the all round bad egg that is Wesley snipes (played by Ronan for the purpose of this metaphor)
Nudge
Guest
Shaun Marsh has scored 2 test tons in his last 2 tests in Asia. I'd be having a guess but if you put all Australian batsmen together in the last 5 years and counted how many tons they had between them in Asia, they'd be lucky to combine more than 2 between them. Who cares if he has luck. Khawaja had a huge amount of luck in one of his innings in Sri Lanka and still scored less than 10
Craig Swanson
Guest
Ronan. I know you are a big fan as am I. So would you have Hazlewood in your India attack? I thought he bowled well in SL without luck.. despite not picking up that many wickets he stuck manfully to his task. His reverse swing bowling has come on a treat.. a must in Asian conditions.
Craig Swanson
Guest
I would have agreed before I saw Ussie's last innings in SL. I also have a super bolter in Sam Heazlett. yes young, green.. but he showed enough in the A series that he could handle the pressure against the fine Indian spinners. In fact he could do some damage to their morale. I refer to his mauling of highly regarded South African chinaman Shamsi in one of the Quad series matches which brought about his removal from the attack.
Nudge
Guest
His last innings in Sri Lanka Craig was the final 20/20 where he scored about 6 off 16 and looked as if he had never faced a ball of spin in his life. Unfortunately the guy has absolute no idea of playing spin over there, and if he was selected for India you are playing with 10 men
Craig Swanson
Guest
A couple of things bother me. Two leff hand openers for starters. Shaun Marsh is no better a player of spin than some others. I know he scored big in SL but he was lucky in my humble opinion... he rarely looked comfortable. . In fact I am surprised he has such a good Asian record on what I saw. I would have someone in our attatck who can bowl reverse swing. Josh hazlewood showed he is close to our best. So he is in for one of your three spinners. If they want a more skiddier bowler I would opt for Chadd Sayers.. probably our only specialist swing bowler. I would be gambling on Swepson over Zampa and Fawad over SOK. Swepson has shown enough in the A series to suggest he is our most promising red ball leg spinner. .I would also not discount the injured Ashton Agar. He is well regarded by CA and has performed well in Asia in the past.
Craig Swanson
Guest
I only added Khawaja on the strength of his last inings in SL. He proved he can in fact play spin.. something he did not show in the tests. So perhaps his problem is between the ears. Needs to take the thought of suffocating close in fields and constant spin from both ends out of the equasion and be natural.. with those wonderful wrists. When he is unshackled he looks a fine player against spin.
Nudge
Guest
I think if Khawaja was in the 11, the tough choice would be whether he bats at 9 in front of Lyon or whether he bats at 10 after Lyon.
Vishnu
Guest
Bailey should be in the test team to India. Warner picks himself automatically The other opening slot still niggles me. I feel Bancroft would be a worthy investment against South Africa and even if he fails persist with him. He deserves this selection long back. Burns is too flashy and more like a flat track bully. Needs to tighten up a lot. He gets beaten too much both on inside and outside. Bancroft is compact and he would be better on these turning tracks. Or Marsh to open with Warner and Bancroft at 3. Smith at 4 Bailey at 5 Mitch Marshat 6 7 keeper O Keefe Zampa Lyon Starc I would prefer this 11 coz 3 Spinners a medium n Marsh and a quick in Starc. that would be favorable in India O Keefe needs to look at Ravindra Jadeja s pitch map to see where to bowl in India.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I'd have Maxwell in the team for India before I'd have Khawaja or Voges. Maxwell at least doesn't look terrified against spin, which is a good start.
adam
Guest
I'd have Warner Bancroft Smith Bailey\s.marsh Finch Marsh Nevill Starc Zampa Cummins Lyon\ncn