With the Sheffield Shield season underway in the city of churches, many people will be focusing on the players who could go out of the side and players who could come into the side for the first Test against India next month in Adelaide.
Here’s who should be in the first Test XI versus the men in blue.
1. David Warner
A bit of an obvious choice you could argue (given he loves playing here in Australia) but the big question for him is can he find a decent opening partner. He’s been in good form in the IPL recently, scoring the third-most runs and averaging around 37 runs a game.
He still has it even in his early 30s.
2. Will Pucovski
Now this may seem as strange, but after scoring 255* against South Australia, Pucovski is definitely in the mix to potentially open with David Warner. He has been in the Test squad for the Australians before, and with Joe Burns not in great form (scoring 36 runs at an average of 12 in three innings), Pucovski could be set to team up with Warner.
3. Marnus Labuschagne
He just continues to impress and develop into one of world cricket’s best batsmen and he’s been in stellar form at the start of the Sheffield Shield, averaging 94.7 runs. In fact, if you excluded his duck from his last innings, he’s averaging 142. If he keeps this up into the Test arena, look out India.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
4. Steve Smith
He’s still one of the greatest batsmen to ever play international cricket. Smith should be determined to have much better performances after a just decent summer in 2019-20. Despite that, he still averages 62.8 in Test matches.
He’s also had a good IPL season, scoring 311 runs, averaging around 25.9 and has three fifties. He looks set for a massive summer.
5. Travis Head
A tough choice between Matthew Wade and Head, but Head just wins this one out. He has been in good form in the Sheffield Shield, scoring two 150+ scores, averaging 83.6 and scoring 418 runs in three matches. He does average 42 in Test matches and was pretty decent last summer. If he keeps this up, he’s definitely a locked-in 5.
6. Cameron Green
Someone who’s been in great form the last two years (especially in the Sheffield Shield), Green’s stock continues to rise even at the age of 21. Despite a pedestrian last couple of innings, he’s averaged 61.4 this Shield season and has scored 307 runs (including 197 versus NSW).
Following up from his average of 63.6 last season, he looks (in my books) to be set to play Test cricket.
7. Tim Paine (C/WK)
The leader of the Australian Test team since the horrific ball-tampering scandal, Paine has looked solid so far for Tasmania this Sheffield Shield season. He has only averaged 34.3 this season but did manage a second first-class hundred against South Australia in the second round.
He has also taken nine catches so far and could be in for a big summer yet again against India.
8. Pat Cummins
Currently the world’s best bowler across nearly every format, Cummins has continued to improve, especially in recent years. He has had a solid IPL too, taking 12 wickets so far at an average of 34.1, and has got 223 runs (averaging 17.2), including a best of 53*.
He will yet again be critical to Australia’s chances of winning this series against India.
(AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
9. Mitchell Starc
The speed demon who looks set for another big summer, Starc will yet again be an essential cog in this Australian team. He made his Shield return these past few days, taking five wickets, including 4/76 in the first innings against Queensland. He is currently the number seven bowler in the world and will be determined to improve that this summer.
10. Josh Hazlewood
Someone who loves Australian turf but has been ravaged by injury recently, Hazlewood could be set for a massive summer against the Indians. He hasn’t played much cricket recently, but did take four wickets in the ODI series against England and took 15 wickets last time India came to Australia.
Can he replicate that performance this time around?
11. Nathan Lyon
By far the greatest off-spinner produced by Australia, Lyon is like a fine wine and continues to get better with age. He has played in NSW’s first two Shield games and has only four wickets, but has an economy rate of 3.3 from 83 overs.
He has gotten the most wickets the last two times India have come down under and is again going to be crucial against them.
Gee
Roar Rookie
Pucovski I would leave at Shield level for the time bring considering his problems. Green for Wade is a no brainer for me. Wade averages 31 & was only ever a stop gap, someone with a future has arrived so get rid of him.
Paul
Roar Guru
In a 4 Test series, it's tough to know when to play or drop someone. I think selectors will be more forgiving if the side's winning ( eg Burns stayed in the Test side last year because of that) or if the batsman gets out to one or two brilliant dismissals. I reckon they'll only make top order changes if the team's down in the series by the time they get to Melbourne. Not a bad place for Pucksovski to make his debut.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
I like this team except is Warner a lock-in? He was horribly out of sorts against England in The Ashes last series. I think I'd start with Burns and Warner, but they should both be 'on notice' and if one of them fails early, bring the young Pucovski in.b
DTM
Roar Rookie
Yep. I suspect the selectors will back Chris Rogers opinion over Josh Ward's. (no disrespect, Josh - we are all entitled to our view). For several reasons, I think the only spot for Pucovski in the short term is Wade's but (even though I can't stand the bloke), I think he deserves his spot in the first test. Burns will need some runs against SA - I think at 60yo, I could eek out a 50 against that attack on a flat deck!
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Nah, if they're good enough, pick ' em now. It will generate some real excitement among Aussie cricket fans.
Paul
Roar Guru
even his coach Chris Rogers, is suggesting Puckovski plays the season then sees how things are progressing. I'm also pretty sure he's not opened in another Shield game.
matth
Roar Guru
I’d like to see how this next round goes. One big score on a flat suburban ground against the weakest attack in the country is not enough for me just yet. Has Pucovski even opened at Shield level before?
matth
Roar Guru
The question is, what’s wrong with the form of Wade, the incumbent?
AREH
Roar Guru
Would seem he's always had immense ability - and this has only grown since ditching the gloves. The current form is strong and you would think he's surely in their thoughts.
JGK
Roar Guru
Head and Wade are the incumbents and have excellent Shield form. I think they will both play T1 (subject to maybe Green scoring 300 and Wade getting a pair). The second opener is a bit more open I reckon. Harris is at least in form.
Marty
Roar Rookie
It really amazes me the number of people who believe that because Percovski finally appears to be getting comfortable at shield level, playing on suburban grounds in front of 6 people, that he will be able to transfer this form into the cauldron of test match cricket. It’s almost as if the issues he’s had over the last couple of years never happened. Stick him in to early and guess what? You’re back to square one.
Paul
Roar Guru
There's another story today which talks about the selectors naming an extended Test squad, around 17 players. I'm guessing that's so those guys currently in Australia can all meet up and train together from the 11th of Nov, when the IPL guys get back. I think they'll then do something similar to what they did in England last year. They'll still have the guys from the Aussie T20 & ODI squads, so it would be easy to make up a couple of teams for some practice matches. Throw in those two 3 day games you mentioned and Smith and co could get some pretty lively centre wicket practice I reckon.
Paul
Roar Guru
The title to this piece is “probable Test XI and I reckon your thinking’s probably not quite the same as the selectors. The first question they’d be asking is, have the Test incumbents done anything to warrant being dropped? Given the last 2 Test series resulted in convincing wins and all players are in good form bar Burns ( and he’s probably only one good innings away from being back in touch), I’d be very surprised to see either Puckovski or Green get a start in the First Test.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Geez, looks a bit thin for guys like Smith, Warner & Cummins. Guess they'll have to be playing those 3 day games purely as match practice. Club cricket & ODI's won't suffice.
Paul
Roar Guru
just the one Shield match, but there's still those two 3 day games in early December, Micko.
Rusty
Guest
Personally I would like to see Whiteman given a go ahead of Pucovski. He has been very consistent over back end of last season plus this season. I suspect that they will go with Burns given that the tracks this season appear to have been so flat it is hard to gauge or assess scores. The flip side of that is that Burns not scoring massively is a little concerning
Micko
Roar Rookie
Great Simpsons reference there. :stoked: :thumbup:
jamesb
Roar Guru
Green only announced himself as a batsman last year, and he is off to a good start in the early part of this SS campaign. However if he can sustain the form for the rest of the season and bowl regular overs, then he should come under consideration. The worst thing that can happen is Green gets picked in the test side, has a few quiet games, and then critics say "he is not good enough". Just let him develop away from the spotlight.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I think the 'probable' test XI is currently the same one that played against NZ. Wade and Head are both doing the right thing so it would be pretty harsh to push either of them out. The only caveat is that Boo-urns really needs a score to hold his spot. A couple more failures with Pucovski churning out runs might tip him out of the team.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Green has had two good seasons now, and has averaged over 60 in both. How many do you think he needs? He’s in as good form as anyone in the country at the moment. I’d be ok with him getting picked, but I wouldn’t be bowling him much for a while. Maybe 3 or four overs at a time at most.