Three changes confirmed in new-look Australian squad to play Sri Lanka

And yet you shy away from making your usual snide little comments to him.

They could have done a lot worse during the series against India. The thought bubble that at least one of Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins might be rested for a match never eventuated - and after being 1-1, it was pretty docile bowling on days 1 of the MCG and SCG that let the series slip by. The simple fact - 1 LBW only and that was taken by 'Gazza' Lyon. Starc in particular is bowling way too many 'pressure releasing' deliveries. Cummins was flattered massively by his 6 fer, how many were short down leg side. That the 'Big 3' 0 never produced a match winning performance. The flattering 6-27 to Cummins in the 2nd innings at Melbourne was the only return of more than 3 wickets in an innings. The rest of the time Cummins was a toiler with 8 for 362 going at 35!! Just what was his role?? Ironically he was perhaps our most consistent batter. Starc - with ankle and hammy issues during 2018 post his 9-109 in Durban - has produced 20-936. He is NOT a new ball bowler - at the moment. I suspected that there was a risk of he and Cummins and Hazlewood (both had back related lay offs during 2018) each being under done - which meant a 'big 3' pace attack all being underdone for a massive home series. Hazlewood - we have to go back to Dec 2017 for his 5-48 for a 4 or more wickets bowling performance. This series 13/398, and in RSA he had 12/471. That's 25/869. That's not new ball worthy. That's plodder!! And Cummins - just a shadow of himself in Jo'burg. The fact that between the 40 wickets taken by the 'Big 3' - not one was an LBW. (only Aust LBW was Lyon trapping Rahane in the 1st innings in Perth). The quicks managed to hit the stumps just 5 times - although Rahul and Agarwal both chopped on and Pujara got done by one keeping low. India bowled a superb length - and always threatened the stumps and LBW. In many respects their 'top of off stump' line/length is the Siddle zone. So - I look back - and ponder. I posted several times before hand - I feared the bowlers were each in their way underdone and you don't go into a big series with all your quicks underdone - - we've illustrated that so, log this one away as a lesson learned!! I'm not surprised the selectors are maintaining a status quo at the selection table as far as they go. No rotation. No accountability. The media seems more wanting to beat up on Shane Warne for questioning the status quo. Mark Waugh is very defensive of his NSW mates. And no doubt the weakest Sri Lankan side to visit for a long time - will probably make the 'Big 3' look like world beaters.

Maxwell averages 26 in the 7 subcontinent tests he’s played. He hasn’t played tests in Australia, NZ, SA, UK, ? maybe he would have an average more like 40 in the Southern Hemisphere. Warner averages 24 in India and 26 in SL. Burns av. 8 in SL, 76 in NZ SMarsh av. 18 in India, 3 in UAE, but 76 in SL with 2 tons. Wade av. 6 in India, 26 in Bangladesh Khawaja under 20 in Asia. It’s tough to make runs there.

@Rob, LOL - way to cherry-pick stats - 4 innings out of the 7 Tests he has played and 2 of those innings were on the road of a pitch at Ranchi. Also, is 4 innings a statistically significant number now? I'm not saying Maxwell must not be given a chance (if fact I now hope the selectors give him a chance just to get this almost insane hero-worship of Maxwell out of the way) but he just is not that great of a player as everyone here makes him out to be. He is a reasonable middle order batsman, with some good innings and many ordinary ones in between. Given his age and his inconsistency, its not hard to see why the selectors think its more worthwhile investing in younger guys. What annoys me is the myth that seems to be spun around him that he has in some way been kept out despite astonishing figures - I just don't think the figures back up the hysteria that surrounds him. The Sri Lanka series is a bat off for Ashes spots. If players perform well here, they will be part of the Ashes squad. Can you point to me why you think he would succeed in England against the swinging Duke ball? That is - any game, performance of his to back up that assertion? Also, it is very hard for a batsman to succeed in all 3 formats - Warner, Kohli, Williamson etc are very few of the players who have managed to succeed at all 3. Given Maxwell's much greater potential impact in LOI games, is it so hard to understand that selectors want him to concentrate on the shorter formats before spreading himself too thin? Also, I do not understand your crack about Smith - my comment did not mention him at all?

Maxwell averaged more than the Marsh boys combined and Handscomb and Warner against India last series in overseas conditions. He averaged 41 in 4 innings. Are you a friend of Smithy the blubber?

True but it was the >50 average the season before and the >45 average the season before that should have been noticed. The travesty was not leaving out Burns for India, the travesty was leaving him out after he top scored in his last test innings in March 2018. After that performance he was not even picked for the Australia A side let alone the main team. So he went from being in the top 6 batsmen and top scoring to not being in the top 12. It's like Renshaw. Yes his form this Shield season is poor, but the issue was dropping him for the UAE series after he had reeled off a 50 average County season with six centuries for Aaron Finch. By the time the Indian series came around his confidence was shot.

@Mitcher, any selection post posted on here has at least 10-15% comments about how Maxwell should have been selected/has been robbed/would fix the balance of the side/is the solution to the batting problem Australia faces. Maybe I over-indulged in hyperbole but I do believe Roarers have attached too much importance to Maxwell. Maxwell averages 26 in Tests - hardly an earth-shattering record. Given he is a spinner and an off-spinner at that, he will have to make the team purely for his batting since his bowling will add little in Tests in Australia/England/SA/NZ. He has played only 2 Shield games this year for an aggregate of 126 runs in 4 innings. His 50 average and 707 runs in the last Shield season (which has all his fans pushing for his inclusion) was on the back of a 278 in the postage-stamp sized North Sydney Oval (D'Arcy Short scored a 257 in a one-day match there) and he averages ~30 (close to his Test average) for the remainder of his innings. He does not have any other County or First Class form to back him up. In all seriousness, on what basis should he be selected? It is one thing to say he should be given an opportunity but quite another to say he was robbed - he is not banging the door down with his performances. Since you say that your concern is that he is not allowed a fair chance to make his case, I assume you agree that as it stands, he has not made his case for selection to the Test squad. Let us say I buy your argument that the selectors told Maxwell they didn't think he needed to play County since they knew what he could do. I doubt that means they refused to allow him to play County. Given his rather lean Test record, if he was interested in playing Tests, maybe he should have played County anyway? Also, if people want Maxwell to be given a fair chance to make his case, would it not make sense to argue for his inclusion in the CA XI tour game/Shield games instead so that he can make his case for inclusion? If it is universally accepted that he has not made his case since he was not given the opportunity to, why do people keep advocating for his inclusion in the Test side and keep claiming he was robbed?

Don likes negative comments, as long as they’re against non-WA targets. So transparent.

Spoken like a typical b0gan raci5t. See I can doing sweeping generalisations based on little knowledge too. Probably right tho.

No players currently playing in Western Australia in either squad.

Your need to claim that people are suggesting Maxwell is a ‘god’ or next Bradman - which nobody I have seen is doing - shows it’s weskness. I think there’s been a clear shift around views on Maxwell because sensible people have realised he’s no been given a fair go to state his case. Imagine hanging him on his Test performances in Asia. Where almost every Aussie batsman has failed over the past decade. Imagine hanging him on lack of first class cricket when it’s solely down to the selectors lying to him about upcoming opportunities. Hanging him because he made a big score - something we’re crying out for. Is his career first class avg of 41 inflated because of one score? Yeah it isn’t still isn’t fantastic but take the time to compare it to others getting a go. Did Labuschagne’s god awful leggies add balance to the side? How about just one single chance to cash in on Australian wickets where others less worthy have had multiple opportunities. No Jay, nobody is calling Maxwell the next Bradman, just a fair shot would be enough.

Nailed it buddy. This used to be a decent website with remotely constructive opinion. Now its just a bunch of grumpy disillusioned middle aged blokes who get enormous amounts of joy at finding negativity in anything they can. Case in point ,every single person on here having a whinge about Joe Burns not making the squad when he had an ordinary start to the shield season and scored a good chunk of his runs after the squad was announced while seemingly having no problem with Handscombe in the squad. Two weeks later and Handscombe's a disgraceful decision and Burns was robbed. As you say, hindsight specialist and moaners, of the absolute highest order and nobody here would have the nerve to see it in themselves

If you can't see why Dorans in the squad then don't bother commenting. Kids a gun

I'm also not sure why you bother coming here you literally offer nothing of value to these conversations except negativity. Why do you bother ?

Luke thank you for actually providing a balanced comment not filled with hate or bitter sledges or gags. Sean ultimately probably didn't quite cut it overall but I have much respect for a man who did his best under more pressure and scrutiny than I could ever imagine

Burns was averaging 28 when they announced the test squad you spud. Crooks? Nope you're just not as smart as you think you are sorry pal

The fact that you two genuinely believe that says so much about how thick you two blokes are

Stu you seem like the sort of person who would disown his son because he's not what you wanted him to be when he grew up. Not supporting you're own team because you disagree with a few things is proper childish. You really are whats wrong with the current Australian sports fan. 'I don't like it so I'm gonna spit the dummy' as opposed to 'I don't agree with certain elements but I'll back my lads to till the end'. Everybody thinks they're right and nobody wants to entertain the thought of an opposing opinion

Comprehension not a strength of your's BA? He was clearly stating he has a track record of scoring big over the course of his career. Every player has certain strengths, his is scoring big hundreds. Everyone who knows anything about the kid knows this. If you heard him talk that was obvious, but you've clearly just taken a line you can take a stab at and run with it. Honestly some of you people aren't happy unless you're whinging

@Don Freo, I agree. Some of the conspiracies being floated on here are downright bizarre. So Steve Smith, who will himself have to make a spot for himself back in the side, is wielding his power to keep Maxwell out! LOL. Bushie raises a good point - if it was Smith keeping Maxwell out, why has he not been given a run in any of the 6 matches we have played since or the 2 more we are going to play? Also, aren't the Sri Lanka Tests selections a rehearsal for the Ashes? What really convinces everybody here that Maxwell will do well in England against the swinging ball? What County experience does he have to back it up? Shield scores in conditions where the ball was swinging? His hundred in Ranchi as well as his monster score in the Shield were both in really flat conditions. Even players like Smith and Kohli struggle against the moving ball and yet everyone, without any proof, has turned Maxwell into a messaih who will solve Australia's batting problems. Most of this blind support seems to be based around some persecution complex wherein Maxwell was not allowed to make his case for selection - but does that not imply an admission that he has in fact not made his case for selection? Even if I buy the argument that CA told Maxi he need not play County, I doubt they refused to allow him to do so. What prevented him from playing anyway? Megabucks at the IPL? And how in the world is Smith responsible for any of this? Like seriously - sitting banned at home, he somehow convinced the Australian selectors to not pick Maxwell? Does anybody really think he is in a position to have the leverage to be making demands of that nature? It is really staggering how some people here think about sport.