Australia’s national cricket team has had to overcome significant adversity heading into the 2019 Ashes series. Throw in a three-Test tour of the West Indies beginning June 25 to come into focus for, and well … Recent performances, particularly a five-wicket defeat against South Africa, have prompted captain Pat Cummins and head coach Andrew McDonald to assess their squad and make critical decisions about batting and bowling line-ups.
Nathan McSweeney, Travis Head, Sam Konstas and Steve Smith have all recently been put through the mill in unfamiliar positions. Even with that, the team is constantly searching for the right combination. Usman Khawaja fell to Kagiso Rabada’s metronomic lengths at Lord’s. This has caused many to question how effective an opening partnership with him will be. This fascinating story has fueled a lively national discussion about which players should accompany Khawaja onto the pitch.
Cameron Green has struggled batting at three. Therefore, there is increasing rumor and conjecture that he will shift back to a lower order slot. Andrew McDonald emphasized the importance of finalizing the opening combination, stating, “I was on the record a couple of weeks ago talking about the need to bed down that opening combination.” He acknowledged that with these changes there has been a new game of “musical chairs.” He argued that now is the ideal moment to create a permanent duo.
The worry about Khawaja’s form is only deepened by the fact he’s about to celebrate his 39th birthday, in December. It’s his longevity that has everyone’s attention. He’s wondering now if he will get a chance again before retirement. McDonald noted Khawaja’s past resilience during lean patches, saying, “He’s got a good record of dragging himself out and finding his best again.”
At 36, Scott Boland is now one of Australia’s mainstays in the bowling attack. He is getting older than even the possible replacements to take his place. Boland forms an impressive pace triumvirate with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, ahead of South Africa’s visit in December. Collectively, they are 969 Test wickets strong. South Africa made them look incompetent in their last two matches against them, causing questions of their very effectiveness to arise.
Reflecting on the team’s strategy, McDonald mentioned, “I think the bowling had some areas where we let the tempo of the game shift on day three.” He acknowledged that there are “relevant questions around Australia’s batting and bowling depth,” indicating that changes may be necessary.
Marnus Labuschagne struggled in the recent Test match, making just 17 and 22. Given his relatively lackluster returns, his selection has led to years of debate over player efficacy. Cummins remarked, “At the moment, he’ll be disappointed with the returns,” reiterating the need for players to score runs consistently.
As Australia prepares for its next assignment, Cummins stated, “After this Test match, everyone is thrown back into the conversation so it’s a bit of a reset for the first Test in West Indies.” He expressed confidence in the team’s potential while recognizing that changes may be required, saying, “We’ve obviously got a team here that got us to the final so it’s about when do we feel it’s the right time to change.”
One area, in my opinion, that Australia could look to explore is the selection of a leg-spinner to provide an attacking option to their attack. The Australian team has not selected a leg-spinner since Mitchell Swepson’s Test in early 2022. Considering this alternative now might just recalibrate their strategy going forward.
Cummins has captained Australia’s Test team since November 2021. His leadership will be under the spotlight as he makes important decisions in the days to come. He insisted that discussions around selection would continue until players meet both their expectations and those of the coaching staff.
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