On the very day the new-look Australian selection panel of Trevor Hohns (acting chairman), Greg Chappell (interim selector), Mark Waugh, and Darren Lehmann lost their first international in six, the panel left Travis Head out of the Test tour of India.
Pakistan beat Australia by six wickets at the MCG yesterday in the second of five ODIs. Steve Smith dropping his opposition skipper Mohammad Hafeez on nought in the opening over was costly, Hafeez winning the man-of-the-match award with 72.
Earlier in the day, Head was left out of an overkill squad of 16 for the four-Test series in India starting next month.
Head was in the melting pot with Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, and James Faulkner for the contentious all-rounder number six batting berth, but the selectors gave the nod to Marsh and Maxwell which will give skipper Smith and the vast majority of Australian supporters nightmares, as one of them will bat at six.
Marsh can’t buy a run and his medium pacers are all over the shop, while Maxwell’s inconsistent batting comes with offies that are so ordinary Smith hasn’t bothered to use him once in the first two ODIs against Pakistan.
Both Head and Cartwright would be better propositions, with Head’s batting and offies offering his skipper better options.
David Warner and Matt Renshaw have the opening batting berths locked away for at least the first Test.
Last week Lehmann made the ridiculous comment Renshaw was no certainty to be picked.
Thankfully there were three other selectors who rightfully reckoned the 20-year-old Queenslander with a four-Test career average of 63 that includes his maiden Test ton of 184 was an automatic selection.
Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Peter Handscomb fill the next three berths, no argument.
Either Mitchell Marsh or Maxwell will follow, heaven help the side, and keeper Matthew Wade.
Then it becomes very interesting with only four spots left.
There are three pacemen – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Jackson Bird – with four spinners – Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Ashton Agar, and rookie leggie Mitchell Swepson.
Starc and Hazlewood pick themselves, leaving Lyon and O’Keefe as the senior spinners for the first Test.
Also floating around in the overkill 16-man squad will be Shaun Marsh and he’ll be joined in the grandstand by Bird, Agar, Swepson, and either Mitchell Marsh or Maxwell.
Virtually half a team in the grandstand with only four Tests to be played.
The selection of 23-year-old Swepson over a proven international in Adam Zampa has been explained by Hohns with the reasoning that they would prefer a more attacking spinner.
“We thought we would go for a more attacking leg-spinner more so than a defensive leg-spinner.”
Swepson has only played 14 Sheffield Shield games for Queensland, but his figures stack up with 41 wickets at 33.
But how Steve Smith is going to cope with three pacemen and four spinners for just four berths should give the skipper many sleepless nights on top of his dodgy number six batsman.
The tour will be tough enough without internal issues.
Australian Test squad for tour of India
Steve Smith (c)
David Warner (vc)
Matt Renshaw
Usman Khawaja
Peter Handscomb
Mitchell Marsh
Glenn Maxwell
Matthew Wade
Steve O’Keefe
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood
Jackson Bird
Shaun Marsh
Ashton Agar
Mitchell Swepson
Fixtures
First Test at Pune – February 23-27
Second Test at Bangalore – March 4-8
Third Test at Ranchi – March 16-20
Fourth and final Test at Dharmasala – March 25-29
spruce moose
Guest
The beauty of this article is writing it in the knowledge that Australia are the absolute underdogs in this series and are likely to be belted across all four tests. He could have said "leaving Helen Keller out of the Australian team will prove costly" and it would have had the same affect. It's win win for him.
Rob
Guest
Head looks far more confident against pace bowling. His batting average of 33 is far inferior to Maxwell's 40. I don't think either would be considered as attacking bowling options. They would be required late in the game to get through some overs and help reduce the workload of the front line bowlers. Australia would only have 2 right hand batsmen in the top 7 if Head plays, which does allow the Indian bowlers the advantage of bowling consistent areas. Ashwin has a remarkable record of removing left handers. He has also been flustered by Maxwell's aggressive, unorthodox style regularly in the past.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Don't be surprised if Shaun Marsh is in the first test side with Handscomb dropping down to six and Starc, Hazelwood, Lyon and O'Keefe bowling with a little help from the skipper. Selectors will be hoping Starc has another subcontinental blinder and rip through the Indian top order like he did to the Sri Lankans. The should also recognise, from the recent English tour of India that big first innings scores are essential. England made 400+ in their first innings three times and were always behind. Our batting performances in India 2013 and Sri Lanka 2016 reveals we haven't been doing that very often on spinning decks. (1 score over 400 in India 2013 and none in SL 2016). I wonder what this coming series will bring but smart money is on a 4 zip Indian win. Hopefully, we will at least be competitive for much of the series, but a couple of the squad selections hardly inspire hope.
twodogs
Guest
Hi bear, the four plus maxy may well indicate the selectors are of the opinion we're ****** anyway, so may as well have some trundlers to take up the work load. I reckon Maxy will do reasonably well if selected. No one yet truly knows who will be in the first test, but I'd guess its close to the same as scg team minus khawaja. Smarsh to come in. One thing I'm sure of though, Smith as captain will most likely be severly tested when fielding.
Peebo
Guest
okay, you've won me over. I actually laughed at the alligator line. Rip into Lord all you want
twodogs
Guest
Fortunately for Smith, he is bereft of ideas only when fielding. ? The problem is, when fielding you need to have ideas.⚠
qwetzen
Guest
The squad could have been improved by including Nic Maddinson. That was an eye-catching 7 (10) he made in his latest BBQ plate effort. Game changing even. Speaking of non-performance.... Did you know that recent world #1 white ball bowler, Mitchell, son of Ned, has failed to take a wicket in his last six odi opening spells?
Julian King
Roar Guru
Correct Mike.
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
Because I am not a journalist. The author is. With this should come an expectation of 'expert' knowledge, astute insight and above all else accuracy. Also, as I am doing right now I reply to posts as requested such is the nature of this site. If you need to have submitted an article to question the logic behind articles on this site there would be very little discussion. And don't call me an alligator just because I have a big mouth
bearfax
Guest
Good looking squad. Head will have his day as I hope Patterson, who has performed with the bat more consistently, will also have his day. Not sure why they wanted four spinners plus Maxwell, though perhaps they are trying to expose as many spin bowlers to those conditions as possible. Cartwright must feel hard done by though I realise Mitch Marsh performs well in sub continent conditions and I'm a little surprised Sayers didnt get a look in.
Peebo
Guest
Why don't you write a piece big mouth? You shouldn't be called a rookie if you haven't submitted anything. Your status should be 'agitator.'
Lancey5times
Roar Rookie
I think Head is more likely to be given a last minute seat on the plane than you are to get a reply from David
Dicky M
Guest
All in all,for the young players on the fringe of national duties this might be a good tour to miss out on..will probably be the end of a few test careers..
Nick
Roar Guru
Ronan, In the eyes of David, Nick Vujicic would be a better bowling option than Maxwell.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
David I'm interested to know why you think Head would be clearly a better bowling option than Maxwell in the Tests in India? Maxwell did well with the ball last time in India, taking 7 wickets at an average of 27 from his two Tests over there. Meanwhile, Head has only 21 wickets at an average of 57 in his whole first-class career.
Simon
Guest
Imo Maxwell's more of a wicket taking bowler which is what we'll want in the India tests and I can also see him playing Ravi Ashwin a lot better than Head. That's why he got picked
Ozibatla
Guest
I hardly think leaving Head of the test squad is going to cost us much. Hes a good talent coming through but hes hardly a match winning allrounder suited to Indian conditions. Two 50s and a couple of wickets in 5 odi's this summer is testament to that. Dont be fooled by his 10 overs 0/28 the other night. Pakistan treated him like he was Murali. Terribly inept batting.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I think they were both good tactical captains, but they still very rarely kept fielders up inside the circle in ODI's more than was required. At the most they might have had one extra inside the circle, and that was still probably a rarity. But as commentators they are all "what I would do is bring the field in and put pressure on".
Ashan D
Roar Pro
Perhaps David, you could have just said " Why did you pick Maxwell? "
GM
Guest
Nice one. If they really were all in a melting pot, and the meting pot did what melting pots are supposed to do, you'd have a progeny with some weird ar*ed characteristics. There'd be a Mitch Marsh type reverse sweeping à la the Big Show and a Travis Head type underwhelming as much as Mitch Marsh. Give me Krejza over that. (And he's still not forgiven for his woeful series against the springboks.)