Another poor showing with the bat on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test further underlined that Australia’s No. 1 Test ranking is largely held up by its bowlers.
There were few excuses for Australia yesterday.
They weren’t sporting an inexperienced XI.
They weren’t playing on a pitch with demons.
They weren’t facing a pink ball under lights.
In fact the sun was shining and the opposition, already without three frontline quicks this tour, were down a fourth in just the eighth over.
This was a day Australia’s batsmen had to fight back and deliver a performance, gritty or otherwise, that would give their bowlers something to bowl at in the fourth innings in Melbourne – bowlers who for the most part have driven the side to become the world’s No. 1 Test side.
Yet they didn’t, and in being reduced to 6-99 they have all but surrendered a series lead.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Murmurs of a whitewash have quickly shifted to whether the home side will actually regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Credit must first go to India and captain Ajinkya Rahane, who have fought back superbly from an Adelaide nightmare and are on the cusp of one of their most famous overseas wins.
But an analysis of the home side’s top six is required.
Tim Paine’s side are now staring down the barrel of a third-straight sub-200 total on home turf, a stat that appears absurd against even the world’s best bowling attack.
After Monday’s capitulation Australia’s highest individual score in the last six home Tests against India is 79.
Six Tests, no centurions.
There was a sense pre-series that with Dave Warner and Steve Smith back – after missing the 2018-19 home series – Australia’s batting would take care of itself.
But Warner is injured and Smith is experiencing a slump we haven’t seen for some time.
He currently looks a mere mortal, one who is nervous early on and seemingly unsure of himself, especially against Ravichandran Ashwin.
With those two stalwarts not impacting proceedings, plus the other key anchor in Marnus Labuschagne yet to properly fire, Australia’s top six all of a sudden looks very, very skinny.
Steve Smith (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Warner is likely to return for the third Test, but entering a high-pressure series halfway through means he too is no guaranteed success. Day 3 proved that the Australian selectors need to make two changes for the next Test starting 7 January.
The first and most obvious is Joe Burns for the aforementioned Warner.
It’s hard not to feel for Burns, whose future prospects may too be hurt by the last fortnight.
It was both reckless and unfair of the selectors to expect a player who failed to make runs in the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield to somehow find touch against some of the world’s best bowlers.
It was a gamble that has backfired.
Second, it’s become clear that Travis Head needs some time away from the Test XI.
This call is far less obvious than that of Burns, but it’s one that needs to be made.
Head was dismissed yet again in pull-your-hair-out fashion on Monday at the MCG. His backfoot waft, caught in the slips, was not too dissimilar to a first innings dismissal where his feet were also stuck in the crease.
Head’s talent is not in question, but his temperament to be a Test player absolutely is.
His dismissal is in stark contrast to Labuschagne, who, it should be noted, is a player younger than Head. Labuschagne was caught at leg gully in the first innings and made noticeable adjustments to working balls onto the leg side yesterday, playing the ball squarer rather than risking a low catch via a finer flick off the pads.
It was a batsman that recognised an issue and then rectified it. Head, on the other hand, continues to get out in a similar fashion over, and over again.
For some time Head’s case has been bolstered by strong numbers, but even those are starting to betray him. His average is now below 40.
For the last two Tests he should be replaced either in a straight swap with Moises Henriques or by Marcus Harris, which would then push makeshift opener Matthew Wade back down to a more familiar spot at No. 5.
Ricky Ponting didn’t skirt around Australia’s batting issues late yesterday on commentary for Channel Seven.
“It’s just been very, very poor batting,” Ponting said, lamenting an inability to score that saw Australia finish the day with a measly run rate of just two per over.
“It’s one of the reasons they’ve lost wickets on a regular basis. They haven’t been able to turn over the strike. The pressure has built and built …
“Yes they’ve bowled well and set good fields, but the scoring rate for Australia throughout this match has been so incredibly low. When you’re sitting there waiting for the bowlers to make mistakes, you’re basically a sitting duck.”
Ponting said the low run rate underlined how important changes at the top would be after this Test.
“I think it just highlights how importance Warner is to this side. His presence in the top order and ability to put pressure back on the opposition,” he said.
“They can’t get him back in there quick enough.”
Rob
Guest
Gee wiz, 2014 is a long bow. He did top score in the first innings against Pakistan and was dropped after the one Test? 2017 he finished 2nd to Smith in the Batting averages. Then finished 3rd in Bangladesh on Battting averages. If you combine the averages of Smith and Wade in Bangladesh you get Maxwell average. Dropped and never picked since? Even thou he gets 278 against NSW before Ashes 2018 at home? Maxwell is one of a select few to score a Century in all 3 formats. The only player that get close to Maxwell in ability is Warner and Smith but they haven’t achieved those records. It’s personal and that’s not how you select national teams. It’s a merit based process for performances IMO. That’s how you play pub cricket with a mates only mentality.
redbackfan
Roar Rookie
the Indian guy, abbott, cutting and buchanan have all concussed him with short balls, and yes showing crap technique. they are listed in the paper today. you are pretty dogmatic for someone who is simply wrong
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Only the recent ones. The unspecified ones from 2017 are unspecified for a reason. They didn't happen.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
That "someone else" is made up by you. What Pucovski says is way more reliable than an incomplete google.
redbackfan
Roar Rookie
this isnt correct. google it. twice in 2017 from short balls a month apart, at least 2 more more recently
redbackfan
Roar Rookie
you are just wrong. i googled pucovski concussion and 4 came up. 2 in 2017, one from cutting then someone else. 2 more while batting at least
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Fair enough, showing more ticker than half the top 6. Aggregate over a 100, when other than Marnus, the other 4 haven't done that combined. He won't be remembered as a great top 6 bat for Australia, but he's hardly at fault for Smith, Burns, Labuschagne and Head underperforming. It's akin to criticising the bowlers who rolled the Indians for 36 one innings and 'couldn't' restrict them in this Test. Seven dropped catches from those same out of form batsmen created an issue they couldn't counter with the bat.
MondoTV
Roar Rookie
It’s easy to get carried away. Burns has to go, should never have been selected for Adelaide. So Warner, if fit, comes straight back in. I would have liked to have seen Pucovski blooded for the first test but unfortunately injury ruled him out. I’d bring him in now for Head and bat him in Head’s position. If Australia holds on to their chances in the first innings, they probably still lose but it’s a hell of a lot closer. Inept for a Test team. Green’s would have been a speccy, but the others should have been taken. Tim Paine deserves a rap over the knuckles for playing a one day slip field in a Test match (which was a huge turning point when Rahane edged one through first slip in the 70’s) and a fine for complaining about his dismissal in the 2nd innings. Get over it - you’re out.
Fox
Roar Guru
“‘He has never been selected in what you say are conditions (Australia) that best suit him?” Common sense Rob, clearly they are his home conditions where at domestic level he has done pretty well. No one questions his fielding that I am aware of as it is a strength of his but you don’t pick test players on their fielding alone. Yes, he has had couple of decent innings but that is not enough. Many batsmen in the history of cricket have had a couple of good innings but proved not good enough long term at test level and IMO he is another one in that category. The lack of genuine middle order batting in Australia is the only reason he might get yet another go at test level like Burns has through injury, and the result will be the same IMO. But as I say, it will be on home turf if they do but I doubt it.
Rob
Guest
Funny Maxwell gets zip against Bangladesh but a century against India. Brain Lara gets out to Zoe Gods and Brad Hodge, averaged 33 in India with 2 fifty’s and averaged 100 with 17 centuries at home in the WI. Yet we only hear how bad Maxwell Test record is?
Rob
Guest
He has stood up to India in Test Cricket under pressure. He has never been selected in what you say are conditions (Australia) that best suit him? I think he is a good player of spin compared to others. There is a lot of comments about Australia’s middle order not threatening the Indian bowling (perhaps a little negative) and basically being dictated to? How many chances grassed? Maxwell brings a little enthusiasm to the fielding which is infectious from my knowledge and experience. Head is a walking wicket as are a few others that regularly play back to Ashwin and Jadeja. Whilst I don’t rate T20 batting I do rate a 50 over 100 against England in England and I certainly rate a 100 by an Australian in India at Test level.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
In recent years, our feeder competition has delivered Labuschagne, Head, Pucovski, Green, Swepson, Richardson, Meredith, Harris... It is outstanding. Just needs greater publicity so social media conversation is better informed.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
And at the height of his power and the zenith of his abilty, he returns scores comparable with that of a #7 or #8 then gets out. He is a level short of Test cricket.
matth
Roar Guru
Yes Burns did suffer some unlucky selection issue but they are ancient history now. He’s been offered every opportunity over the past two summers.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm not sorry to bang on about this but here goes. Why was there not 5 slips, 2 gullies, 2 fly slips and a bat pad for India's meagre run chase and the bowlers told to bowl top of 4th stump every single ball??? ------ Instead we had regulation non-thinking as our bowling plan.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
What the? Paine MoM in first Test, Green 45 from 146 balls batted for a couple hours looking for a partnership in his 2nd Test match against one the worlds best attacks which had destroyed the top order! Not sure you're at the right series.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Why Wade? Because his focus is playing for Australia! He stepped up to open when asked. He played the aggressor role in the first innings and when the team was in it in the second, he tempered his strikerate. He is a middle order bat who is suited to 5,6,7. Green showed enough to keep his spot, Head didn’t.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Langer and Rogers both played well into their 30s, Rogers into his late 30s. On that yardstick, Will has a 15 year Test career ahead of him and is likely to retire as one of our greatest ever. Just be clear. Concussions in his youth have been his problem, not the short ball.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
From memory, Chris Rogers had his fair share of concussions also, and citied it as one of the reasons he left the game. Langer has taken plenty of shots to the head I’d say, given he participates in combat sport. 9 is a lot, if he really wants it, and I would, he must have a good plan and stick to it. There are some great examples of players who make big scores and use the avoid strategy; let the bowlers waste 2 an over, so what, will they persist when they know there’s no chance of dismissal? heh, maybe. Everyone seems to think Pucovski will be some sort of saviour, the fact is he remains unproven. He should get a go I think, he is a grown up, the risks are known and his to manage.
Nick
Roar Guru
pumping dougie... Hussey's difference in his H/A average is the largest of ANY batsman with a 50+ average, including Matt Hayden. You trying to defend it actually makes it worse. Cricinfo did a great article on this a few years back. H/A differentials of 10+ were rare and made such batsman outliers. He did nothing of note overseas. He played fewer tests than his contemporary greats as well, so it's tough to truly compare. Would you call Voges an ATG? Under your definition you'd have to