Australia must field a vastly-different batting lineup for the upcoming Tests against India with both Marsh brothers dropped and Matt Renshaw replacing the injured Usman Khawaja.
Khawaja reportedly could miss up to two months of cricket as he undergoes expected knee surgery after injuring himself during the second Test, which Australia lost by a whopping 373 runs.
Set a massive target of 538, Australia could muster only 164 with the Marsh brothers again failing, taking their collective efforts for the series to a deplorable 44 runs at an average of 5.5.
Australia have now gone five Tests without a win and in that time the Marshes have, quite incredibly, contributed just 192 runs at an average of 9.6.
It will be an embarrassing cop out by Australia’s selection panel if either man is allowed to retain their place for the first Test against India in just over six weeks from now.
Although both Marshes remain good white ball options for Australia, 35-year-old Shaun has reached the end of the road as a Test cricketer and his younger brother has had more than enough chances for now.
Mitchell Marsh and Shaun Marsh (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Fortunately for Australia, they still have plenty of batsmen in domestic cricket who have shown ability at Test level or who are exciting Test prospects.
The likes of Joe Burns, Matt Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell each have excellent Test tons to their names, to go with fine first-class records. All three of them deserve to be in Australia’s team for the first Test against India, form permitting.
Aaron Finch is a lock for those home Tests after a solid debut series in the UAE, where he scored 181 runs at 45 despite having to open the batting against the world’s in-form Test bowler Mohammad Abbas.
Meanwhile, Travis Head and Labuschagne gave some reason for optimism about their future Test prospects, the former with his valiant 72 to help Australia draw the first Test and the latter with his accurate leg spin.
Head’s 197-minute vigil at Dubai was imbued with the kind of patience and determination Australia desperately need in their batting unit.
In the second Test he wasted a pair of starts but, overall, Head has looked in good nick in this series. The 24-year-old has made nearly 1,500 runs at 44 in first-class cricket over the past year, while also contributing well for Australia in ODIs. Head deserves to keep his spot for the first Test against India.
Labuschagne, meanwhile, did less to earn his Test debut than Head, and then made just 81 runs at 20 against Pakistan.
The one positive, on the batting front, was that Labuschagne improved as the series wore on, and was fluent in both knocks in the second Test. In the second innings he was out for 43 to a risky hook shot, trying to up the ante with only bunnies left as batting partners.
In the first dig he cruised to 25 before donating his wicket with his now infamous run-out at the non-striker’s end.
All in all, Labuschagne clearly did not do enough with the bat to cement his Test spot. But if the selectors are insistent on having a strong fifth bowling option for the home Tests then Labuschagne is a better choice than Mitch Marsh right now.
Marnus Labuschagne of Australia celebrates his first Test wicket. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
With seven wickets at 22 for the series Labuschagne was a revelation, outperforming Pakistan’s star leggie Yasir Shah, who could manage only eight wickets at 37 against a vulnerable Australian batting lineup.
Head should get to play to play two Shield matches before the next Test squad is picked, while Labuschagne has a chance to push his credentials over the next three rounds of the Shield. I expect the selectors will announce the Test squad after the end of the fourth round of the Shield, which finishes 16 days before the India series begins.
That leaves a lot of time for domestic batsmen to vault to the front of the Test queue, even ones who have never previously been spoken of as Test candidates. Australia’s bizarre selections for the UAE tour means it now wouldn’t shock me if against India we see debuts from truly left-field candidates who manage to pile up Shield runs over the next month.
Unfortunately for Maxwell, his limited overs international commitments mean he likely will be restricted to playing only in the fourth round of the Shield. Looking forward to next month, I can already imagine the selectors justifying Maxwell’s omission from the squad to take on India by pointing to his lack of game time with the red ball.
They will have an even more difficult time trying to explain themselves if they make the ridiculous decision of sticking with the Marsh brothers.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
I am sick of this pick on potential crap. It has hurt us for several years. After consistent performances, talk about selection. Potential means very little and cheapens the value of the baggy green. Potential should only be used as identifying who to watch for performances worthy of selection.
Steve
Guest
Oh thats absurd regarding Maxwell, they never said he needs to train better.......just smarter.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
For what's it's worth here's my 1st Test Team (assuming Khawaja is out)..... 1. Finch 2. Renshaw 3. Ferguson 4. Head 5. Maxwell 6. Labuschange 7. Paine 8. Starc 9. Cummins 10. Lyon 11. Hazlewood
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
Wade ranking 14 in such a big country especially a cricketing one is a huge surprise
Homer Gain
Guest
Agree with the point, but I'm not sure Jason Holder merits mentions in this company. I'm also not sure about Abbas' capacity to keep up his current stats. I didn't see the Aussie series, but watching him in England earlier this year, he certainly benefitted from a pretty flaky batting line up. When even Hardik Pandya is taking six wickets in an innings off you you've got to wonder what the form amounts to.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Pucovski is certainly an exciting prospect. His other century, scored against QLD last shield series was 188 so when he gets in, he goes on and makes a bug number. Not a bad trait for a top order player to have. He also scored 207* in the U23 titles. Of course, he has played only a few FC games so his stats are still quite volatile.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
That doesn't bode well for Khawaja playing in the first test. He won't be having much recent match practice prior to the test series and if its so important to Langer...
Bucks
Guest
Steve Smith 57.27 Will Pucovski 52 David Warner 48.63 Usman Khawaja 44.32 Glenn Maxwell 41.07 Cam White 40.34 Shaun Marsh 40.21 Matt Renshaw 40.18 Joe Burns 39.75 Kurtis Patterson 39.69 George Bailey 39.33 Peter Handscomb 38.81 Callum Ferguson 38.77 Matt Wade 38.72 Peter Nevill 38.47 Daniel Hughes 38.36 Cam Bancroft 38.35 Travis Head 36.94 Hilton Cartwright 36.79 Aaron Finch 36.58 Ashton Turner 36.17 Josh Inglis 35.91 Jake Weatherald 34.4 Labuschagne 33.83 Moises Henriques 33.83 Alex Doolan 33.8 Tom Cooper 33.45 Marcus Harris 33.13 Marcus Stoinis 33.02 Josh Phillipe 32.5 Sam Heazlett 32 Mitchell Marsh 31.64 *** our test vice-captain Jordan Silk 31.14 Tim Paine 30.02 Jake Doran 30.28 Thought this might help - all batsmen / keepers averaging 30+ (no bowlers)
Captain Obvious
Roar Rookie
Exactly Matt, what is happening to junior batsmen is criminal.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
"Fortunately for Australia, they still have plenty of batsmen in domestic cricket who have shown ability at Test level or who are exciting Test prospects. " - This is the problem with the selections. They select on prospects not form. The players you mentioned (Burns, Renshaw and Maxwell), the past glories mean nothing. What are they doing now? Renshaw's form deserves a spot, but you can't select players on what they have done previously. Thats the exact reason Shaun Marsh is in the team....oh yeah, him, he did it before in Asia. He must be able to do it all the time. They need to pick on form.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Loose bus change would have to be the best autocorrect of the day!
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Indeedy. Recall when NZ introduced their selection 'pie' guidelines with its emphasis on domestic performance? And how they were mocked & ridiculed by the Oz media. Strangely enough, it seemed to work out OK for the Kiwis. And then there was Moneyball. But having said that, picking a Test team from Oz fc numbers is not really an option. We play too few games for stats to be pre-eminent plus the incumbents play virtually no Shield at all. It is clear though that the current selection model is broken and that a change is needed. I'd suggest that the selection responsibility is transferred from the NSW media to a panel of certain Roar staff and regulars. They always know what "must" be done.
anon
Roar Pro
Mitch Marsh was given the vice-captaincy so he couldn't be dropped. The issue with Mitch-mallow isn't 5 bad Tests in a row, but that he's only performed in 3 Tests in his career. The 3 good performances were an outlier.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Lol mate. :-D Optimism is good. But I have bad habit of not being optimist. I have stated my conclusions after analysing fair amount of matches ( that starts from 2012-13 odi series in India) till last concluded series. You are entitled to your opinion pal, I am to mine :-D
Ashan D
Roar Pro
I've given up. Anyone saw JL's interview on CA web site ? He said Shaun and Marsh haven't had the best series but they deserve their spot cus they are good young players. How many things are wrong with that ? God Help Australia Cricket.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
"Drop Marnus too. Make the point that those run out type lazy dismissals are not on ever." Surely sole selector Langer won't be harsh on anyone having a brain fades. Remember this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afQvCaPd4t8 (Go to 03:09)
Rellum
Roar Guru
Actually 3 years is probably a better time frame. I am guessing you left Smith and Warner out.
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
If I had to pick your best xi for world cup 2019, in batting order Warner Khawaja Carey (wk) (as a pinch hitter at 3 if wicket falls early like razzaq in 1999 world cup otherwise just before the tail) Smith Finch Maxwell Cummins Starc Lyon Stanlake Hazlewood Rest of the squad : Stoinis, Lynn, Ferguson, counter Nile, labuschagne, head , zampa and pattinson
Rajaram
Guest
Kopa shamsu... you are too far ahead mate... should not be a problem for Australia to win soundly??? Really ? I am pretty sure it will be a good series and believe me mate., don’t be surprised if Australia loose 1 or 2 tests or even the series.
JayG
Guest
Steve Smith got a duck and David Warner got 15(9) https://www.cricket.com.au/news/matthew-renshaw-century-toombul-queensland-premier-cricket-sheffield-shield-test-return-australia/2018-10-20