Young stars headline Australian Test squad for India series

Australia and paines groupies will learn the hard way with paine if he is selected beyond 2021 . One advantage is nearly all our tests for the next year are on home soil and at least sth Africa is on a hard flat pitch similar to ours at times . In England his poor captaincy accross all five tests give or take , was covered up by four superhuman australian performances to nab the draw . Australia deserved an out right win with better captaincy . Paines efforts during our last summer were covered up by poor opposition batting second on hard hot home decks and nz was decimated without boult and ferguson . I expect a win with kohli playing one test but hopefully to some extent india can provide much better competition than pakistan and nz . For me if paine can keep his place on keeping I have less concerns and no doubt he was for a long period a luckless excellent keeper but I’ve seen enough accross five tests Im england to see he’s a mediocre to poor captain despite him being good with players . He was appointed in transition though and after this summer the acb would be wise to let smith take captaincy again and let him take the team back to sth Africa who have also slightly dropped off in form . I suspect paine will overstay his welcome and it will cost Australia at some point but the other thing is there isnt alot of test cricket next year really either so age will also catch up with paine . If he couldn’t make proper drs decisions or field placements and bowling choices In england , I’d be worried about letting him do it again particularly overseas. Mind you warner shouldnt bat in England again either all the more reason to focus on pucovski right now which is probably where the focus should be . The openers have issues off Australian soil, let alone on it still

Totally agree bernie with what you’ve said about paine is all true and I totally appreciate he did well in the interim. He was only put in place due to the excessive media circus on Steve smith that went to far with excessive bans . No doubting paines a top bloke and for many years the most luckless and best keeper in Australia but he was not a great captain during the ashes and it was the sum of mistakes he made as captain over the five tests often turning to smith to make decisions , only to then make the opposite wrong call which cost Australia the outright win. mistakes accross all tests were made not just headingly I’ve noted the laundry list before on here so won’t bother again. Four Aussie individuals covered up paines deficiencies in England with supernatural efforts to get two draws . Also note his batting was poor abroad and arguably is covered up on flat decks in australia . I’ve little doubt smith would take the role back and do a fantastic job with it especially given the wrap on the knuckles being more than excessive for not taking more action to investigate Warner’s antics . Paine was interim captain and that was what he was appointed for . If he can do the job as keeper then he can stay after this summer although his batting is a huge concern especially when we leave australia’s shores . At least sth Africa has flat decks as well but after that the cracks will be more exposed and I hope paine will think of transition and the best interests of the team

That's probably correct micko , although before last summer and a slew of wickets against mediocre opposition his average was 40 at both grounds . I agree they won't drop him for one of those grounds especially after adelaide pink ball dn where he has done very well . Mcg would be the best place to start swepson potentially but if lyon has a great adelaide pink ball test they won't drop him at mcg .

I highly doubt Lyon will get axed for Swepson just because he's a bit more expensive on one or two specific grounds.

Wade was told he'd have to be a top 5 batter if he wanted to make the Test side when playing Shield for Tasmania. But I do agree with your assessment that Head & Wade would probably perform better if swapped.

I have never heard of Inglis as I don’t follow the shield as avidly as I once did, but if he is as good a bat as Carey and a better keeper than by all means select him next. I appreciate what Paine has done, but I agree with the notion of the ‘unsubstantiated love affair’. Not even Bradman could have the job as long as he wants so people saying this about Paine are just a trifle over the top.

Yeah I appreciate as much as anyone what Paine has done for Australian cricket since those events in Saffie land March 2018, but this ‘he can have the job as long as he wants’ is not something I quite go for. He is a good leader for sure, but an ordinary tactician – his tactics during that fatal 10th wicket stand at Headingly last year were every bit as inept as Warner’s batting across the whole series, and then there is his reviews as well. Some people like Ian Chappell have surmised that maybe Smith won’t want the captaincy back after everything, but I’ve heard from a reliable source that he does. That being the case, don’t over extend Paine’s career and lets get Smith back in – people can think what they like about his tactics but he is certainly a far better reviewer than Paine and it’s not as if the captaincy ever affected his batting in any remotely negative sort of way.

Paine will go to SA and probably be in the 2021/22 Ashes. I will make a prediction, Carey may never play a test for Australia. Josh Inglis is a far better keeper and just as good with the bat.

Absolutely agree bernie paine and warner were big factors in fluffing the ashes and not winning outright so it's important guys like pucovski and green get their chance when on form as we have a test championship in England next summer and tours to SA and subcontinent in 2022 and our home form doesn't correlate to our foreign form especially in England and subcontinent

Law was a great talent he would waltz In to this current side in front of wade and head for me. Blewitt lehman hodge so many talents that couldn’t get a game that probabky would in our current team

Yep you love the guy that cost us an outright ashes win in England , it also seems inglis is a talent but carey deserves his chance in the new year . I suspect we , well the selectors , may need to learn the hard way if paine and warner go on foreign tours again

Your welcome general , time to usher in a few younger talents this summer and next year , the true test will still be abroad where paine and warner have failed against red ball more recently and cost us an ashes win

Patto?

I understand Paine wasn't named as captain of the A team. He is there as I understand to observe and see how the test players go. He might get one game, but Carey will keep.

I love Paine.

Same old Paine denigration. I have missed your constant putdowns. Oh and by the way he is about to turn 36, not 37.

At this point I would certainly be leaning towards Pucovski over Burns well and truly. I think Langer would love it if he could effectively put out the same side as last test with everyone in form. So Burns has a chance. But he has to score some runs in that first Australia A v India game. And he has to be able to look reasonably convincing while doing it. If he scratches his way to 60 or 70 where the edge is beated a lot, and a few edges find gaps, fall short, or get dropped, then that's not good enough. But if he dominated on his way to the same score before getting out to a screamer of a catch off a full blooded pull shot, then that might be. So it's more than just the score, it's how he scores them. If I was India, and Burns was really scratchy and struggling, I'd almost be tempted to deliberately drop the catches and let him get a few runs hoping that it's enough to get him picked over an in form Pucovski.

Carey and green in for paine and wade ideally at least with some debuts this summer but won’t happen with the unsubstantiated love affair over paine as captain

James I like that aus A side but I’d trade out head for wade as I’d size green up against wade considering ages techniques and form and considerations in prep for foreign tours beyond this summer . Good to really give green pucovski and swepson every chance they can get this summer

Only concern is debut at a pink ball d /n test where conditions ive been to are completely different from the red ball matches . Certain players have been outstanding at adelaide compared to the say the red ball test at mcg . Lyon starc outstanding there with pink ball. Mcg test however lyon is mediocre with hsi average and pucovski could get a great debut with red ball alongside swepson . Not sure selectors will be bold enough to make changes if there is success in Adelaide tho .