Australia prepare for major batting reshuffle: The Australian cricket team is set to incur some major changes for Sydney Test.
Advertisement
In a bid to prevent themselves from becoming the first Australian team ever to be beaten in a Test series by India at home, the Australian cricket team is all set to make a couple of major changes to their batting order.
The reports of opening batsman Aaron Finch and vice-captain Mitchell Marsh to face the axe for the fourth Test to be played from tomorrow at Sydney happens to be nothing but the truth.
If reports in The Sydney Morning Herald are to be believed, all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne was told he would bat at No. 3 in the last Test of the series. The same also gives a clear indication of Usman Khawaja opening the batting alongside Marcus Harris.
Labuschagne batted at No. 6 in his debut series against Pakistan last year. To promote someone with a First-class batting average of 33.17 at No. 3 involves a huge amount of risk. Having said that, Australia captain Tim Paine sounded positive when he spoke about the all-rounder to the media.
“We know how good a cricketer he [Labuschagne] is, he’s really skilled in all facets of the game. We saw in the UAE his leg-spin’s improved out of sight, and you’re almost leaning towards him at Test level now as a bit of an all-round option, which is a really good package for us,” Paine was quoted as saying.
Talking of Khawaja, the 32-year old southpaw has opened the batting in four Test matches, scoring 453 runs at an average of 113.25 and and a strike rate of 50.55, including two centuries. Australia would be hoping for him to continue his brilliance facing the new ball.
“Usman’s opening record in Test cricket is very good and he’s been on record saying he’s not too fussed where he bats, whether it’s one or three. If that’s the way we go, Usman will go out and give his all and I think the way he’s handled the last month or so has been exemplary, so it’s a real credit to him.,” Paine said of Khawaja.
Being asked about promoting himself up the batting order, Paine opined regarding the same being discussed but also added that his form doesn’t puts him no different to the other batsmen.
“I’ve had some discussions around that [promoting himself]. It may happen, it may not, but I certainly haven’t been setting the world on fire. I need to cash in on my starts as well so I’m no different to the other guys in our top six and I’ve just got to play my role,” he concluded.
Read some of the latest Twitter reactions ahead of the fourth Test below:
