With Australia not scheduled to play another Test until the Ashes in November, the Dharamsala match has major implications for the futures of Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Matt Wade and Glenn Maxwell.
Wade was picked for his batting, yet since returning to the line-up has averaged a paltry 18 in seven Tests, failing to score a single half-century.
Lyon, meanwhile, has been comprehensively outbowled by Stephen O’Keefe in the six Tests they’ve played together, averaging 36 compared to O’Keefe’s 25.
And one of Marsh or Maxwell are expected to lose their Ashes spot to the returning Usman Khawaja, who has a phenomenal Test record in Australia, with 1211 runs at 64.
Khawaja is, in my opinion, a lock at first drop for the Ashes series, and I’d be surprised if the Australian selectors don’t see it the same way. It was a tough call on Khawaja to leave him out of the line-up for this series.
The languid left-hander struggled so abjectly against spin in Sri Lanka last year that the selectors made the correct horse-for-courses call in instead picking Marsh.
The elder Marsh brother was the only Australian batsman other than captain Steve Smith to flourish in Sri Lanka, batting for five hours in making a polished, patient 130 in the final Test. However he has had a mixed series in India, with two wonderful knocks surrounded by four failures.
Twice in this series he has grafted for almost four hours in difficult conditions. At Bangalore he made 66 from 197 balls on a nightmare pitch with wildly inconsistent bounce. Then, most significantly, he helped pull off a miracle at Ranchi, making 53 from 197 balls as Australia survived for 100 overs in the fourth innings to secure a rousing draw.
Overall, Marsh has underperformed in this series, particularly given he was selected as a specialist in Asian conditions. Unless he produces something quite extraordinary with the blade at Dharamsala then it is clear that he, not Maxwell, should make way for Khawaja in the Ashes.
Khawaja is patently a superior player of fast bowling than Marsh, whose lowest moments of his Test career have been precipitated by pace. In Australian conditions, against a good England seam attack, Khawaja is the obvious choice.
At home, an Australian top five of David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Khawaja, Smith and Peter Handscomb is strong enough to gamble on playing a dynamic batsman at six to add some variety and menace.
After his brilliant ton at Ranchi, Maxwell is just that man, as Glenn Mitchell wrote yesterday.
That century was the first by an Australian No.6 since 2014, which is incredible when you consider the batting paradises which were served up for home Tests during that period. Maxwell deserves a decent run in the side. With him at six Australia would be better served by a steadier batsman at seven than the flaky Wade.
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The Victorian’s glovework remains ordinary for an international keeper and he has failed to have an impact with the bat. Meanwhile, the man he usurped, Peter Nevill, has been in supreme touch for NSW in the Sheffield Shield, piling up 625 runs at 57, including three tons.
Taking into account Nevill’s superior glovework, he shapes as a clearcut choice ahead of Wade for the Ashes.
Wade, like Marsh and Lyon, has one last chance to save his spot at Dharamsala. In the most important Test match Australia have played in years, performances will carry extra weight.
If Marsh or Wade smash a match-winning century, or Lyon outbowls O’Keefe, they may just save their spots for the blockbuster Ashes series.
Jay Dunbar
Roar Guru
While you are obviously a math genius with too much time on your hand q, Warner isn't averaging sub 40. In fact, of opening batsman who have scored over 5000 career runs, only 5 men have a higher average. Ever. This in addition to the fact he scores runs faster than nearly anyone. So Warner isn't just good, he is historically good. So to recap, you are advocating dropping an historically great opening batsman in the peak of his powers, who is also the vice captain of the team, because he has had one poor series in foreign conditions. Stick to math, pal.
Don Freo
Guest
Did you take out ALL his successes? You might need to read the thread again.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
And he was dropped because of it, told to go back to shield and make runs. He responded emphatically while bar one fifty with the blade Wade has been poor with bat and gloves.
qwetzen
Guest
One in this Test would be handy...
The Bush
Roar Guru
For the record, those two Ashes are not Haddin's two highest series, just most memorable. To humour myself: The change based on your question? Bradman drops to 93, a 7% drop. Haddin drops to 28, a 15% drop. So yes, Haddin was statistically far more reliant on those two series, than Bradman was on his two best. So no, no comparison at all.
Mike Dugg
Guest
I think those might have been imagined reports rock
Mike Dugg
Guest
Sorry if your not a fan Charlie but smith is the captain and seems to like wade and okeefe. Look at the teams results since wade was brought back and okeefe this series
Mike Dugg
Guest
Look at them bowling together in shield cricket. Again okeefe outbowls Lyon the majority of the time
Mike Dugg
Guest
What's Nevill's average again in tests? Nearly as bad as Mitch Marsh
Mike Dugg
Guest
Pardon me Mr Guru but Okeefe outbowls Lyon 90 percent of the time in shield cricket and in tests in Australia
Don Freo
Guest
You made that comment by discounting all Haddin's good scores in Ashes series. My thought was if you take out the good scores of any batsman...wicketkeeper, Border, Marsh or Bradman or not...their average will look worse. That is not that hard to understand, my fine feathered Bush.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
"Lyon then produced the best ever innings figures by a visiting bowler in India in the 2nd Test " the single time at both domestic and international level he's out bowled SOK. One may call that a fluke. SOK has been ignored for too long while a Mediocre bowlers has retained his test place. Time to give SOK his chance, he's earned it.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
And in the South Africa Series when everyone else fell around him.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Lyon is no where near a more dangerous bowler in Australian conditions than SOK. Just have a look at the shield averages, SOK is light years ahead of the rest.
SmithHatesMaxwell
Guest
How could Maxwell be playing for his spot? Was he supposed to score a double century in the last Test?
The Bush
Roar Guru
I just don't get the comparison. I was pointing out that we've not had many runs out of a wicket keeper in years and your response was to ask if Bradman's average was also lower without his two best series (self evident). I ask again, other than a chance to push your strange obsession with cutting Bradman down randomly, what was the connection?
Simon G
Guest
Stats don't always tell the full story. For example, in matches when Glenn McGrath and Scott Muller played together, McGrath averaged just under 43 while Muller averaged just under 37. Those differences are also clear cut, but no one would in their right mind would suggest that Muller was a better bowler or more deserving of a spot in the XI than McGrath. Using your logic though, Muller was the better bowler. Stats aren't the be all and end all of determining a player's ability.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I've said that a number of times also. Bowling them in one go is harder, but the total load across the test was actually more overs for India than Australia and with an extra day rest for the Aussies, well, likely make that 2 extra days because they are batting first here.
Mark
Guest
He's not getting picked if he goes for 5 an over.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Also you would expect SOK’s bowling Test average/SR/ER to be better than Lyon’s, after all he has played all of his Tests so far in spin friendly conditions C'mon now. Lyon has played in every single Test in which SOK has played, so they've both had identical conditions, yet SOK has averaged 25 with the ball in those Tests compared to Lyon's 36. That's clear cut.