Let’s say it’s the year 2020 today and the Australian T20 squad is selected on current form.
First cab off the rank would be David Warner as skipper despite the fact he’s scored only 14 runs off 19 deliveries in four visits to the crease, but those four outings have resulted in four successive heavy defeats of the opposition thanks to Warner’s positive and aggressive leadership.
The Australians beat India at Guwahati by eight wickets with 27 balls remaining, beat the Kiwis at the SCG by seven wickets with 21 balls remaining, beat England in Hobart by five wickets with nine left and beat England again at the MCG by seven wickets with 33 deliveries left. Comprehensive.
Some team is going to pay for Warner’s run of outs. He’s far too good a batsman in all conditions and formats to be denied.
The next big selection is what to do with Steve Smith, currently being rested for the South African tour. He’s one of the world’s best batsmen, and he is flexible enough to fit any format. His fielding also among the world’s best. He must be picked.
But Warner is to captain the side.
(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
The Australian batting strength and depth is awesome. Aaron Finch must be selected as a floater between one and six in the batting order. Exciting newcomer D’Arcy Short has cemented his place as Warner’s opening partner with his accurate left-arm spinners an added bonus.
Then two of the most explosive batsmen in T20 cricket – Chris Lynn and Glenn Maxwell – pick themselves. And Usman Khawaja, for so long overlooked as a limited-overs batsman, must also be in the mix.
But Marcis Stoinis looms as a casualty in the playing XI to make way for Smith. Stoinis is another explosive batsman, but his medium-pacers and his fielding aren’t strong enough to demand frontline selection.
Alex Carey is by far the best bet as wicketkeeper with his glovework exceptional, and his batting offers a lot more stability and a greater run rate than Tim Paine.
No World Cup in any format can afford to leave out the big three quicks – Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood – to join the tall-timber Billy Stanlake.
(Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
That means Andrew Tye and Kane Richardson become casualties among the current crop, leaving Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa, two vastly different spinners, to do battle for one spot. Agar is a quality batsman and fieldsman, giving him the inside running.
So the 15-man squad would look like this: David Warner (c), D’Arcy Short, Chris Lynn, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Finch, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Billy Stanlake.
Starc, Stanlake, Cummins, and Agar take care of 16 overs, leaving the other four to a mix of Short, Maxwell, and Finch.
There are ten batsmen capable of heavy hitting, leaving a strong back-up of Usman Khawaja, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa to make up the 15-man squad. That’s a World Cup-winning team.
Bring on 2020 for T20 for a first-time Australian victory in seven attempts at the shortest format.
Mitch
Guest
He was our best batsman in the last t20 world cup are you saying that multiple international class bowlers are useless?
Mitch
Guest
This team is woeful Cummins gets smacked in T20 and not only is Agar a better bowler then Zampa he adds great batting depth. Tye and Behrendorf have to be in this team.
Graeme
Guest
The lineup of Saturday's T20 was very balanced T20 and a very good team as a starting point. Zampa has not done enough to take Agar's spot. Agar is a very good T20 player both batting and bowling and is not a fringe player, he easily retains his spot. Similarly Stoinis' form is too good and like Agar is cemented in the starting 11. For the rest of the squad, M Marsh, either Starc or Cummins (not both), Head and Bancroft. Bancroft is a handy T20 batsman and can be reserve keeper.
dan ced
Guest
Hopefully the Stoinis obsession doesn't get in the way of that.
EGC
Guest
The Lyon issue is an interesting one. Lyon strikes me as someone who is always after a wicket regardless of cost. That makes him a great inclusion for the longer form of the game. Agar is much more adept at varying pace and line which is exactly what you want in T20. He is also a much better batsman than either Zampa or Lyon.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
He looked pretty good in the BBL this season too you know...
Graham
Guest
Berendorf also an option I think the philosophy though should be this Take every batsmen with an average over 30 and list them in order of strike rate. Thats your top 5 batsmen if one of them bowls its a bonus For the main all rounder take every all rounder with a batting average over 25 and then look at economy rate For the 4 front line bowlers choose the 2 with the lowest averages and the other 2 are the ones with the lowest economy thats your team. Remarkably smith and khawaja doesn't even make the reserves
Graham
Guest
horses for courses I say. This is based purely on stats rather than reputation. I've gone with 2 spinners because we actually have 2 excellent 2020 spinners who inexplicably aren't getting picked First XI Darcy Short David Warner Finch Lynnesanity Maxwell Mitch Marsh Carey Starc Cummins zampa Lyon reserve keeper/allrounder (one to be omitted): paine, Agar reserve batsmen (2): Head, Smith Reserve bowlers (2): Tye, Richardson
Don Freo
Guest
Sadly, The Dorff may not play again and NCN is probably one more breakdown from retirement. (He actually shows a bit of talent in the commentary box). NCN has spoken about how close he has been to pulling the pin. Love to see them both come back.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Can we stop making out that Khawaja is some kind of T20 saviour? Go and look at his record - it's solid, but hardly outstanding. He had one excellent season in the BBL back in 2016 and that's about it. He followed that up with his solitary IPL season where he didn't pass 30. On top of that, his strike rate is only 126, which is bog average for a top order batsman, and he's no better than passable in the field. The reality is that when Khawaja's facing pace bowling on a flat pitch he creams them, but as soon as there's some movement or the pace is taken off the ball it's a different story.
JamesH
Roar Guru
You do know that Gen Xers are in their late 30s/early 40s, while Gen Yers are in their late 20s/early 30s? If you haven't worked out cricket (especially T20!) by that age, you're never going to.
Stephen
Guest
Nudge in the test series against England many players dropped catches but khawaja dropped 0 catches. He is very good at gully and slips and has also developed his out fielding. This perception of him not being a good fielder was falsely created by Micky Arthur and its just not true, give me one example in the last year of khawaja dropping a catch or misfielding that cost us, i am not expecting a response because it doesnt exist lol
Nudge
Guest
I’d agree that Khawaja is a very good 20/20 bat. But please don’t say his fielding is great because it’s crap. His running between the wickets is just as bad. I reckon my 11 year old son could run quicker between the wickets
Matth
Guest
I’d agree, but NCN and Behrendorff will have claims if fit
marfu
Guest
Flemo - Yes Khawaja is very good and I don't understand why is unloved by IPL teams as his fielding is good and so is his ability to play slow bowling.
Flemo
Guest
I agree don
Don Freo
Guest
It's quite likely none of them will be in our best side in 30 months time. I'd suggest right now that Warner, Khawaja, Lynn and Smith are not in our best side and that Stoinis may not be either. The thing is, we have many rich talents that are not getting a go yet because we don't have enough spots in a side.
Flemo
Guest
Let’s just lock in warner, khawaja, Lynn, smith. Max well and stonis as our top 6, best top 6 for t20
Sanjay Poojar
Guest
Is all irevelant India to win always.
Flemo
Guest
I love the idea of khawaja opening, it’s funny seeing warner and smith in the extras column