While Australia’s batting has hogged the attention in this fascinating series against India, the bowlers haven’t exactly done the job required of them either.
It’s not as if there is a single offender and the way Tim Paine rotated his bowlers during the Sydney Test, particularly on the final afternoon as Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin stonewalled their way to a draw, leaves a lot to be desired.
However, Mitchell Starc’s form since Adelaide has been poor.
Unable to maintain any real consistency, Starc now has figures totalling 9-285 off 98 overs throughout the series, going at almost three runs per over.
What’s more worrying is that four of those wickets came way back in Adelaide – since then, he has taken 5-225.
When four of those wickets were in a single innings of the Boxing Day Test though, it’s clear the trend for Australia’s big left-arm quick is rocks and diamonds, with more of the former than the latter.
Things seemed to come to a head in Sydney though, where he bowled 41 overs for just a solitary wicket, going at three runs per over for the Test, even during India’s second innings where – particularly late – they had no intent to score and were playing for a draw.
Starc’s insisted on bowling short-pitched balls and not enough-wicket taking stuff, while Pat Cummins (who remarkably bowled just two of the last 28 overs) watched on.
Pat Cummins (Paul Kane – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
While changes were made to the batting in the last Test, the bowlers haven’t worked as a cohesive unit and Starc’s problems, as well as the fact Ravichandran Ashwin is dominating Nathan Lyon in the spin-bowling department, is a big part of the reason why.
One of the more crucial aspects of Test cricket – which doesn’t always come to the fore in limited-overs cricket – is bowling in partnerships; the ability to bowl well from both ends and consistently put on the pressure.
In Tests, where there is so much time available, facing out maidens from one end while runs are ticking over from the other is never going to worry a batsman, especially those with the class of the Indian top and middle order. In limited-overs cricket, it can work for the bowlers, purely because batsmen feel they can never be bogged down in the pursuit of par scores which are growing all the time.
In the longer form of the game, there is no need to try and play crazy shots against someone bowling well, it is simply about working the singles and waiting for the bad balls – of which there were plenty from Starc in Sydney and other periods throughout the course of the series.
As mentioned, none of the Aussie bowlers have been perfect and the credentials of Tim Paine to continue captaining the side once this series is over have to be up in the air.
Tim Paine (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
But Starc has been, without doubt, the key offender in letting India off the hook.
All that being said, it’s no good calling for a player to be dropped without a replacement. Luckily for the Aussies, there are two options in the squad.
The first is the seemingly always-injured James Pattinson. Ruled out of the Sydney Test with bruised ribs, it would be a surprise to see the selectors go back to him so quickly, given his troubled past.
However, with no more Test cricket scheduled until a somewhat unlikely tour to South Africa in March (watch this space, rumours are Western Australia will get some cricket after all this Autumn), it may just be worth the risk.
Bruised ribs aren’t insurmountable and Pattinson would help to replace what the team would lose without Starc: the ability to bowl genuinely quick and scare the opposition with the short ball. Pattinson has that in spades and while so do Cummins and Josh Hazlewood – to a lesser extent – Pattinson would be the most suitable like-for-like replacement.
There is always that level of risk in selecting Pattinson though, despite a pretty healthy Test record reading 81 wickets at 26.33 from his 21 Tests, while he also took three wickets last time he bowled in a tour game against the Indian team.
James Pattinson (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
The other clear option is Michael Neser, who started the Sheffield Shield season brilliantly, picking up 14 wickets at 17.3 in Adelaide conditions which heavily favoured batsmen.
Not only that, but the Gabba is his home deck in the Sheffield Shield, only going wicketless once at the ground last season in eight innings on his way to taking 22 wickets at an average of 16.77.
It’s clear Neser loves bowling at the Brisbane venue and while Pattinson will be the tempting option due to his extra pace and bounce, Neser may well be the better bet. The latter’s selection would allow Cummins to be the sole enforcer, with Hazlewood and Neser there to build pressure, put the ball in the right areas, and get just enough movement to trouble the Indian top order with the new ball.
That ability to sustain long periods of pressure is something the Aussies have lacked throughout this series, and Neser, in such incredible form, on a ground he loves bowling at, should provide them the ability to do so.
It’s far from the end of Starc’s Test career – he will be back. You can’t keep a classy player like Starc who has so many Test wickets under his belt down.
But for now, he isn’t the right option as Australia look to wrestle back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on a ground they have had so much success at over the years.
Mukhtar
Roar Rookie
I like the Southern Hemisphere nations to do well: they all have their strengths. The Wallabies have had some great players, but to a novice rugby fan like me, this mediocre run since last few years has devalued the rugby for the opposing teams and audiences as well. Sport needs to be competitive. I might be an All Blacks fan, but if the Wallabies are playing the English, I’d be cheering the men in gold.
Mightydags
Roar Rookie
Prophetic article, Scott. Well done.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Hardly anyone cares about the wallabies though.
Mukhtar
Roar Rookie
After the debacle in the 2nd innings of the 4th test, Starc, Lyon's places must be challenged. Stuart Clark commentated, Starc is doing his job. If so, what is this 'job' - blunting the new ball, so batsmen can score easier off the other bowlers, while hemorrhaging runs at your end? To then hear Pain(e) say, 'the bowlers gave their all', is galling. This is Australia, not Zimbabwe (no disrespect) - 'giving your all' is a given. The Baggy Greens are going the way of the Wallabies, and it is dispiriting.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
Well Starc was poor again in the 1st innings of Brisbane. If he can't improve in the 2nd innings he should be dropped imo. Australia has other better fast bowlers.
We bowl too much short stuff at the tail enders, period. Maybe I should have attacked all of our bowlers, not just Cummins, but he does seem to focus a lot on hurting the lower order than putting in some quality yorkers/slower balls etc. Short bowling has its place, but it gets to the point where the batsman knows that is all you're doing an will simply avoid it.
Tahlil
Guest
LOL. A total of 5 catches were dropped off Starc's bowling at MCG and SCG. Starc could have easily gotten those wickets if the fielders had just simply held on to their catches. Just a catch can turn around a bowler's luck and here we r talking about 5 catches! Not his fault that the fielders keep letting him down!
Steele
Roar Rookie
It hindered him last innings, a ton was beckoning. Ran out of time.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
Way out of luck too............the run out (backing up) at the bowlers end the other day and the next bat he had he got a neat fine deflection first ball, should've been 4 down legside but just a smidge too fine and caught first ball............ ......it's a fine line between "out of form" and "out of luck". But - - point is; you need a batter who is mentally "at ease". I suspect Finch personally and team wise ('Gades) has been building up a bit of frustration. As much as I'd love to see him get another game.......last time vs India at home he looked to be coming to grips with it......who knows what might have happened in Adelaide if he'd gone to DRS - and in Perth he'd snagged a 50 (but ODI style played across the line) and was flying in the 2nd until he got smashed on the hand and retired hurt at 25 - and first ball resuming back got strangled down leg side...... I still reckon he can't have been right for the Melbourne test that season.
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
I heard he is still in Victoria, out of the bubble, so Patterson is a no go. Fire up fellas.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
After Sydney I'll take any victory...
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Scott yeah I agree Starc should be dropped. He was very poor in Sydney and ordinary all summer imo :thumbup:
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Moises is a good call, in at #6 and see what he makes of his chance. And I’m also happy for Green to get a long rope. My point is that sooner rather than later he needs to be threatening with the ball or move him to #5. I wouldn’t take Starc out though, he is a weapon. Needs to be handled better by Paine.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Happy to stick with Green a while. But if he isn't posing a threat with his bowling ultimately he needs to be considered as a batsman #5.
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
Danger test if we lose the toss and bowl. Their tired, bowled a lot of overs last test match. I’d love to see Jame Patterson brought in for Starc and they may need Moses to bat 5 who can also bowl a bit.
bowledover
Roar Rookie
I dont think the Paine sledging is reflective of who he really is... i think in general Paine is a good bloke and has done a good job steering Aus straight over the last few years. Agree he is not the best on field captain. Also, unfortunately, we need a gloveman who can do a bit more with the bat. Aus really needs a captain who can keep his place in the side on the basis of batting but i dont think Smith is that guy.. he wasnt the best captain pre sandpaper gate and the whole thing with Pants footmarks proves the point... perhaps he is too much in his own head. Marnus is too young, certainly in personality. I dont think Cummins is the right choice despite seeming to be a decent bloke... a captain needs to be more aware of the game during the bowling and cannot afford to just focus on his own bowling.
bowledover
Roar Rookie
Its part of the problem with making your keeper a captain... lots to think about.
bowledover
Roar Rookie
Agreed….which makes zero f##$ing sense
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
A Test bowler averaging roughly 28-29 in a series, conceding less than 3 an over, striking roughly every 60 odd balls should be dropped and Lyon with his return should stay? You really have to wonder about 'critics'!
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Ah, the sledging! That's what this is about? He shouldn't have niggled Ashwin? The Ashwin who came back at him and told his career would be over once he got him in Indian? God I'm tired of this handwringing drivel. Grown men, not personally abusing each other, having a back and forth, giving as good as they get, one singled out as abhorrent by holier than thou commentators and keyboard critics. If the microphones weren't up then the players demeanours - both sides - and smiling at each other and shaking hands afterwards would show none of the 'drama' critics were affronted by! Oh, hang on, it did! The Indians jave given their fair share in this series. No complaints from anyone, neither were they here, as usual it comes from off the ground from the self appointed moral arbiters.