The exclusion of Travis Head raised fairly a couple of eyebrows in Nagpur. Whether Australia was proper in roping in a alternative in Peter Handscomb, who final performed a Test match 4 years in the past, and pushing Matt Renshaw as much as No. 5 is price an argument.
Based on the performances on one explicit day, it wouldn’t be honest to guage a batter.
Head would have been approaching the again of a superb dwelling collection in opposition to the West Indies and South Africa. He amassed 525 runs within the dwelling Test summer season at a mighty common of 87.50, changing into the primary Australia batter to breach the 500-run mark.
But what may need satisfied the Australian choice panel of George Bailey, Andrew McDonald and Tony Dodemaide to go forward with the present plan was Head’s file in Asia and his current performances for the Adelaide Strikers within the Big Bash League.
The 2021-22 Ashes Player of the Series has managed to attain merely 213 runs at 21.3 within the continent whereas his final 4 BBL scores learn 1, 5, 9 and 19. To make sure, he could not have been too convincing on the nets in Alur as properly.
Renshaw could have departed with out bothering the scorers on Thursday however his abilities when enjoying in opposition to spin are price noting. He has scored 356 runs at a mean of 44.50.
Moreover, the inclusion of Handscomb, a right-handed batter at No. 6, provides a brand new dimension to the batting lineup, earlier speckled with left-handed batters – 4 within the prime seven.
The name was, most likely, taken to negate the impact of left-arm spin in opposition to left-handed batters, an element Australia batter and vice-captain Steve Smith had famous in his evaluation of the deck.
Mistake or tactical change? Travis Head has managed to attain merely 213 runs at 21.3 in Asia whereas inclusion of Handscomb provides a right-handed choice for Australia.
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“(The wicket looks) Pretty dry. Particularly, one end will take a bit of spin. The left-arm spinner getting it back into the left-handers. I feel the surface is going to be quite skiddy,” Smith had advised the media.
In the batting horror present that was at Jamtha, Handscomb was one of many solely 4 batters who might get past the 30-run mark, courtesy of some distinctive bowling by spin twins Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
On his return to the Test aspect, the 31-year-old mentioned, “It was nice. It’s a really nice feeling to play Test cricket again for Australia. I’ve worked really hard on a lot of things in my game, mentally, tactically and on my technique as well. To work that hard and get the rewards to come back in, it’s a really nice feeling. I’m just grateful to be out there and give it a crack this time.”
On why Australia struggled to this extent in opposition to Jadeja, who picked up his fourth fifer in opposition to the Aussies, Handscomb mentioned, “It’s tough out there. Jadeja was obviously bowling very well, not really giving our batsmen a lot to hit and I found him tough to score (against)… My plan was just to bat for as long as possible, then eventually get some runs.
Hope you nick a couple or push a couple through the odd gap here and there. The Indian team bowls really well as a unit and didn’t give us much to score off.”
Handscomb added, “When the pitch is playing tricks, that starts to play with your mind a little bit. The ball that doesn’t do as much you expect to do a little bit more and that’s where you can come undone with the ball that goes straight on, rather than the big turners we saw out there as well.”
Australia will not be the No. 1 Test crew on this planet for nothing. Despite the choice conundrum, the Kangaroos shall be anticipated to start out afresh on day two. As Handscomb put it, “The music was back on straight after we walked back in.”
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com