Test team Australia vs India: who will be called up if Cam Green fails to prove fitness?
With less than a week to go before the first friendly against India, big question marks remain over who will make the starting XI. Skipper Pat Cummins offers some clues here, including who the side’s second spinner could be.
Weapons all-rounder Green was disqualified from bowling in the first Test but he is in serious danger of missing the opener of the Nagpur series in less than a week to convince the selection and medical staff that he is ready to beat in a test match.
If Green fails to make the cut for the first Test starting February 9th, an intriguing selection battle looms between Handscomb and Renshaw.
Left-hander Renshaw is the reigning No. 6 from the Sydney Test but right-handers handscomb would allow Australia to separate left-handers Travis Head and Alex Carey in the batting order – often seen as an important tactical play in spinning conditions.
Green is not out of the race to play as a specialist batsman, but captain Pat Cummins admits time is running out.
“I know he’s not going to bowl (in the first Test). The next week is obviously very important. He hasn’t been able to do much yet,” Cummins said, with the entire Australian tour of India being shown exclusively on Fox Sports and Foxtel, with Kayo also carrying a Hindi feed for each game.
“I think the nature of this particular injury is that once it’s good, it gets good again very quickly.
“Hopefully we’re at that stage where next week is going to be really much better.
“I think he wanted to try and score a goal this afternoon. I haven’t seen how that went, but we’ll see how the next week goes, especially the next few days, and make a plan.
“(We’re) still kind of hopeful but see how he goes.”
The other selection shootout looming for Australia in Nagpur next week is choosing who will partner Nathan Lyon as second spinner.
Cummins said he was particularly impressed with Ashton Agar and youngster Todd Murphy at a spinning camp in North Sydney last week before the team flew to India.
Murphy, 22, is considered a real debut opportunity despite being an off-spinner like Lyon.
“I only saw Todd a bit. Obviously he did really well in Shield cricket and the lads who faced him were really impressed not only with his set piece but also with his variations,” Cummins said.
“Mixing up the pace, flying it a little differently than Nathan, and taking those opportunities like North Sydney to really have the conditions in your favor is fun. This is where you can really get creative.
“I thought he and Ashton Agar in particular really enjoyed it. You can kind of relax and really show how good you are. They were both impressive, they could land where they wanted more than often and change different speeds and arm paths and angles to the fold – all those subtleties that you might not be able to see on TV but make a huge difference.”
Meanwhile, Travis Head earns license to inspire in his middle role in India and is backed as Australia’s main battling weapon.
Head has struggled in Test cricket in his previous experiences on the subcontinent but has been a run-scoring juggernaut for Australia in their last two home summers against England, the West Indies and South Africa.
It’s possible Head could slip from No. 5 to No. 6 in the line-up depending on how Australia line up – and be encouraged to play aggressively and try to change the momentum of the series.
“Trav just keeps showing that he can find a way to get runs, whether it’s a green top like last year in Hobart where nobody else could get a run, he just found a way to get runs and get it bowling really hard,” Cummins said.
“That’s the aim of this tour of India – he’s a really impressive player when he goes out to bat and he has that intention.
“When a batsman has that intention on you, it’s really hard to be precise. Your error rate is so low.
“I think he just championed this team. He comes in 6th place and can turn the game around in an hour.
“Sometimes, especially in India, that’s going to be really important.
“It might not be a hundred, but a really important 30 or 40 could be just as valuable. Again, all he has to do is find his own way of working in these conditions and support it 100 percent.”
Kayo is also showing the Women’s T20 World Cup live and free as a Kayo giveaway that does not require a subscription.
Originally released as Australia vs India Test team, Todd Murphy remains a ‘real chance’ to partner with Nathan Lyon
https://www.codesports.com.au/cricket/australia-v-india-test-team-who-will-be-called-in-if-cam-green-fails-to-prove-fitness/news-story/4ff0d91a2dd91681577e6bbae082ec4e?nk=f6cdf654b7311bb7ee2f0012f393317b-1675453213 Test team Australia vs India: who will be called up if Cam Green fails to prove fitness?
