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Opinion

My Australian Test squad to face South Africa

21st January, 2021
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Roar Guru
21st January, 2021
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As the Australian selectors face the damning reality that Australia have lost their fifth Test series on home soil since 2010, the trio of Justin Langer, George Bailey and Trevor Hohns are designated with choosing a squad to face South Africa for two Tests.

Whether that happens on South African soil or in Perth due to the COVID situation is another question. Here’s my squad, which will have a few changes from the one that faced India.

Batsmen

David Warner
Let’s be honest here. Warner was rushed into playing the final two Tests rather than giving him time to be at least close to match fitness. The break will do him good and Warner’s record in South Africa average wise is 0.12 higher than his average in Australia (63.21).

Will Pucovski
He impressed on Test debut and a brilliant first-class record indicates he’s more than good enough to play Test cricket for a long time. Pucovski is heavily talented and will open alongside Warner in the Test series.

Bryce Street
53 (167), 0 (5), 115 (308), 6 (55), 3 (7), 30 (136), 7* (19), 58 (200), 9 (35), 46 (121), 9* (25), 5 (53), 31 (137), 115 (281), 2 (9), 54 (182), 22 (65), 9 (40), 38 (151), 22 (63).

These are Bryce Street’s scores so far in his first-class career. While he isn’t a prolific run-scorer, one thing he has done is blunt the new ball. In the 2019-20 Shield season, Street was Queensland’s second-highest run-scorer (489) while facing a staggering 1608 balls in 15 innings.

This season, Street has only amassed 146 runs at an average of 29.2, but he’s faced 501 balls, the most by a Queenslander.

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Australia has been crying out for a Cheteshwar Pujara-type of player and Bryce Street can be that for Australia. While I’m not saying he should slot in the XI, he’s more than good enough to be in the Test squad and face a high-quality attack in the nets.

Marcus Harris
Just like many talented first-class players in Australian cricket, Harris is in a bracket of those who get starts but fail to capitalise into big scores. He will be the backup opener to Will Pucovski.

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith
Australia’s number three and four in the series. No questions about it.

Marnus Labuschagne

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Travis Head, Moises Henriques and Nic Maddinson
Wade’s time in Tests is up. Head will continue to score runs at Shield level but needs to step it up in Tests. Nic Maddinson has dominated Shield level for long enough to get the recall he deserves.

And as for Moises Henriques? Well it’d be incredibly harsh to drop him considering he didn’t even get a game. Ultimately, I believe it’s a three-man battle among this trio to take the number five spot against South Africa.

Cameron Green
No question on Green. He looked technically solid against India and deserves a long run in the side at 6.

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Wicketkeepers

Tim Paine (captain) and Josh Inglis
Paine’s spot in the Australian side over one series loss shouldn’t come into question. He’s the right man to lead Australia in the series against South Africa. With no Wade in my squad, I’ve gone with Josh Inglis as Paine’s deputy. The best gloveman in Shield cricket and a handy lower-order batsman, I see no reason why any other keeper should travel to South Africa over Inglis.

Spinners

Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson
Lyon is almost undroppable in the Test team and Swepson’s Shield form speaks for itself.

Quicks

Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Michael Neser, Sean Abbott, Jhye Richardson and Jackson Bird
Although Australia are only playing two Tests, they’ll take extra quicks as net bowlers, thus my reasoning of including Jhye Richardson and Jackson Bird who have good first-class records. The bigger question is who will be the third pacer in Australia’s side for the series.

Will Mitch Starc keep his side despite his poor showings in Sydney and Brisbane? Will James Pattinson come in or will South African-born Neser make his long-awaited Test debut in his birth nation?

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