Paceman Jason Behrendorff can enhance his Ashes prospects, while veteran keeper Tim Paine has an opportunity to audition for the ODI keeping spot, during Australia’s three-match T20 series in India.
After being hammered 4-1 in the ODIs, Australia now shift to their weakest format, tackling a team which has long been elite in T20Is.
The other notable selections in Australia’s squad are veteran all-rounders Dan Christian and Moises Henriques, who are fighting to keep their international careers alive.
Behrendorff is the most gifted cricketer in the country yet to represent Australia in any format – and he’s a fantastic prospect in all three.
The 194cm-tall left-armer from Western Australia’s T20 record of 53 wickets at 19, with a frugal economy rate of 7.26, is better than any other Australian quick, bar superstar Mitchell Starc. A threat with the new ball due to his late swing, Behrendorff remains effective in the middle and death overs thanks to his deceptive changes of pace and mastery of the yorker.
The 27-year-old has started the Australian summer in fine nick with hauls of 3-34 and 1-43 in the domestic one-day competition. While T20 is a vastly different format to Test cricket, standout performances in this series in India could greatly help Behrendorff’s hopes of earning a baggy green over the next six months.
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Australia have an extremely busy summer, with nine Tests in the space of four months – the Ashes followed by a four-Test series in South Africa. With Jackson Bird and James Pattinson injured, Starc and Josh Hazlewood returning from injury, and Pat Cummins’ long history of fitness issues, there may well be some juicy opportunities for other fast bowlers.
Behrendorff is competing with the likes of Chadd Sayers and Chris Tremain to be the next pace cab off the rank. He owns a brilliant first-class record, with 123 wickets at 23, and is coming off a dominant Sheffield Shield campaign in which he grabbed 37 wickets at 17.
Paine, meanwhile, shapes as one of the few viable options to take over from struggling keeper Matthew Wade in the ODI team. Since replacing the retired Brad Haddin after Australia’s 2015 World Cup triumph, Wade has averaged just 26 with the bat, which is identical to his poor career average. In his past ten matches, Wade has made just 49 runs at eight, and his glovework is not nearly good enough to cover for his failings with the blade.
Paine’s last ODI was six years ago but, given there are no standout candidates to replace Wade, the 32-year-old Tasmanian could still make a run at the 2019 World Cup. He is less likely to still be in contention come the 2020 World T20, and the same goes for 34-year-old Christian.
The Hobart Hurricanes star made his name as a batting all-rounder but it was his bowling which shone in the last Big Bash League, during which he averaged only 14 with the bat, but snared nine wickets at an average of 15.
It is hard to see how Christian has a significant future in Australia’s Twenty20 side.
Hobart Hurricanes Media
If New South Welshmen Henriques is to continue to get international opportunities, then this series is crucial. The 30-year-old has flopped during his recent Test and ODI stints, and is yet to make a big impression in his nine T20Is, which have been spread across eight years.
The same way Australia arrived in India with an ODI squad which looked too weak to challenge the strong Indian line-up, this T20 mob look out of their depth.
Even at full strength, Australia are an average T20 side. Missing the world’s best T20 paceman, Starc, valuable strike bowler Cummins, elite ball-striker Chris Lynn, and quality all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, it appears as the Aussies are headed for another thrashing.
Australian T20 squad
Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Jason Behrendorff, Dan Christian, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Glenn Maxwell, Tim Paine, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa.
Australia’s best XI
1. David Warner
2. Aaron Finch
3. Steve Smith
4. Travis Head
5. Glenn Maxwell
6. Moises Henriques
7. Tim Paine
8. Nathan Coulter-Nile
9. Adam Zampa
10. Jason Behrendorff
11. Kane Richardson
dan ced
Guest
Do you recall him getting 14 wickets in a shield game late last season? on his return from injury?
Paul D
Roar Guru
If Dunk averaged 56 in first class cricket instead of 30, sure.
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Haha, I spotted that too!
John
Guest
Behrendorff is a very good bowler but if he is any chance to be playing in the Ashes i would have preferred he be playing for WA not this micky mouse t20 series. I actually dont mind the idea of Paine keeping in the Ashes but will he be getting the gloves for tassie in the shield or will wade be keeping for tassie?
qwetzen
Guest
"...they need the keeper to bat down at 7 and I think Dunk is much better suited to slogging from ball one than Dunk." Well said.
qwetzen
Guest
"Dunk always comes across as a bit agricultural when he bats." Hasn't the ascension of Smith buried that bias?
Nudge
Guest
Maybe he's got to look at only playing during the Australian summer. He does strength work in the Australian winter, starts preseason in June plays the first few shield games, if he's up and firing and in your top 3 bowlers he's plays the 5 or 6 home tests, then after the Sydney test, that's the end of the season for him. I'm sure it would be frustrating not playing more, but if he could play another 5 or 6 years it would be worth it.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Burgy I think right now Dunk is probably Australia's best option for the T20 keeper spot. Paine is clearly a better gloveman but, with the way the Aussie side lines up, they need the keeper to bat down at 7 and I think Dunk is much better suited to slogging from ball one than Dunk. The next T20 World Cup is almost 3 years away so Australia have lots of time to identify their best long-term T20 keeping option.
Paul D
Roar Guru
He did change his bowling action mid test match against medical advice - don't think it's necessarily all on the physios. I just don't think he can bowl for long periods of time without aggravating it from the sounds of it, regardless of who he talks to
Paul D
Roar Guru
Hence reinvent, I've seen him get carted plenty of times in the big bash for much the reasons you suggest. I think it could be done, I mean he's a fantastic red ball bowler because that's what he's practising on being. If he changes the focus of his practice, I don't see how he doesn't get better. Look at him in England only a few months ago, he topped the bowling charts in their domestic one day comp, 13 wickets at 36 from ten games and an economy rate of under 6 an over in a very high scoring competition Obviously have no idea to the mindset of him but it's a fact that your body sometimes doesn't measure up to your mind, he is coming to realise that and I think at some point he's going to say enough is enough, I mean it must be so frustrating for him, particularly given how good he is when he's on
BurgyGreen
Guest
Peirson is a talented hitter, could have a future for sure.
Mike Dugg
Guest
Peirson from Queensland is a dark horse in the national keeper auditions. Can open and bat in the top 6. Solid with the gloves. Needs another good season in the shield to prove his worth.
BurgyGreen
Guest
I think he actually has a pretty solid technique. Has a beautiful straight drive in particular. I don't think he's Test class or anything but I think he'd fit right in to ODI cricket.
BurgyGreen
Guest
I guess I haven't watched Paine closely of late but I'd be shocked if he was truly as bad or worse than Wade. As for Dunk, I assumed he was a similar calibre to Wade, but we can afford that if he actually makes runs from time to time.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Dunk always comes across as a bit agricultural when he bats. I think they're concerned about his technique against international bowlers. Not sure how he goes against spin either.
maverick
Roar Rookie
Spot on BurgyGreen.Dunk is what Australia needs from their limited overs keeper.I was really surprised to see Paine got picked ahead of him.Dunk is a two time big bash leading run scorer,one time sheffield shield leading run scorer and holds the record of highest individual List A score by an Australian.He is keeping for tasmania in the Jlt odi tournament and actually keeping pretty well, specially to cam boyce.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
The problem with Paine and Dunk is that, like the others in the Tasmania set-up, they can't actually keep. Paine could once, long ago but since the injuries has been almost as poor as Wade - maybe even worse now Wade has improved (but is still often horrid).
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Agree on both counts; it should be irrelevant but isn't. I guess the mental side is a genuine thing in the case of someone with no international experience. But even there,4 overs where the batsmen are going to take to you is very different to the long grind, but with a chance to settle, that the long form involves. The pressure and mentality are very different.
Mr Bean
Guest
Henriques scored 50 against Sri Lanka in February
Mr Bean
Guest
Behrendorff was injured last summer