Australian test selection 2020/21

[stephen]

Head has had the single most cushy, unquestioned run in the side. He's averaging 30 over the last 11 tests with two half centuries and a century in those 17 innings. Of those only one innings wasn't cashing in when the side were 4-200+. He averages under 30 against India, England and Pakistan, 42 against NZ and 150 against Sri Lanka.

He needs to go, work on his footwork and come back stronger later. Ideally Maxwell would come in at 5 to replace him but moving Wade back to the middle order and picking Warner/ Pucovski up top is ideal.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Head has had the single most cushy, unquestioned run in the side. He's averaging 30 over the last 11 tests with two half centuries and a century in those 17 innings. Of those only one innings wasn't cashing in when the side were 4-200+. He averages under 30 against India, England and Pakistan, 42 against NZ and 150 against Sri Lanka.

He needs to go, work on his footwork and come back stronger later. Ideally Maxwell would come in at 5 to replace him but moving Wade back to the middle order and picking Warner/ Pucovski up top is ideal.

People are going to think I've hacked your account

Anyway since I'm me and I feel like I have to try and find something to disagree on, I would say Joe Burns has had possibly an even cushier experience as a Test cricketer as far as conditions and opposition go, though of course he's been in and out

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Honestly it astonishes me that Pucovski is even being considered after all that has happened of late

Something about this just doesn't sit right with me

 

[TheJediBrah]

Honestly it astonishes me that Pucovski is even being considered after all that has happened of late

Something about this just doesn't sit right with me

Desperate times I guess. Aus failing to get past 200 in 2 Tests at home is pretty dire straits. If they had a firing line-up making 450+ he would probably be left to sort himself out a bit more.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Desperate times I guess. Aus failing to get past 200 in 2 Tests at home is pretty dire straits. If they had a firing line-up making 450+ he would probably be left to sort himself out a bit more.

I just simply think the risks vastly outweigh the benefit at this point. Somebody like Burns failing isn't a disaster, his Australia days are likely over so he can just go back and play out the rest of his career for Queensland. The worry is that if Pucovski fails it could set his career back years, that isn't a gamble I'm even remotely willing to take


At the very least somebody should kidnap and gag Greg Chappell if he does play

 

[TheJediBrah]

I just simply think the risks vastly outweigh the benefit at this point. Somebody like Burns failing isn't a disaster, his Australia days are likely over so he can just go back and play out the rest of his career for Queensland. The worry is that if Pucovski fails it could set his career back years, that isn't a gamble I'm even remotely willing to take


At the very least somebody should kidnap and gag Greg Chappell if he does play

Something doesn't sit right about it with me either, I think I've said on here before that I've heard from guys who play with him they doubt he'll ever be "right". We can only assume (and hope) that the selectors know more than us and that their decision is being well thought-out, whatever it ends up being.

 

[GotSpin]

Simply put, we need Warner.

 

[aussie tragic]

Time to shake up the batting order?

1. Warner
2. Wade
3. Pucovski
4. Labuschagne
5. Smith
6. Green
7. Paine

Good enough for Border and Waugh to bat 5, why not Smith until he gets back in form

 

[stephen]

Time to shake up the batting order?

1. Warner
2. Wade
3. Pucovski
4. Labuschagne
5. Smith
6. Green
7. Paine

Good enough for Border and Waugh to bat 5, why not Smith until he gets back in form

The problem is that once Smith is in form you want to give him as many batting partners as possible.

 

[Spikey]

Honestly it astonishes me that Pucovski is even being considered after all that has happened of late

Something about this just doesn't sit right with me

I agree, and I'd also rather he not open, but the die seems cast

 

[Gnske]

Warner fixes the opening conundrum anyway and I agree with Spark that Wade would thrive with someone batting next to him that isn't horridly out of touch.

Pucovski is a middle order bat anyway, put him where he belongs.

 

[SeamUp]

Warner and Pucovski back.

Burns out. That will almost definitely be his last ever test match.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Can only assume that Head will be the other one to miss out, and in that case it is also possible that Puc could slip into the middle order and Wade stay opening, unlikely though.

 

[GotSpin]

Can only assume that Head will be the other one to miss out, and in that case it is also possible that Puc could slip into the middle order and Wade stay opening, unlikely though.

As long as Head is dropped I’m happy

 

[TheJediBrah]

As long as Head is dropped I’m happy

I'm really getting good at hacking accounts

 

[the big bambino]

I like Travis Head and I've defended him a bit on here before, but he's played 13 of his 19 matches at home. In that time Australian pitches have been the flattest in the world, with only this season really an exception in any way. His average definitely flatters his actual performances so far in Tests, regardless of what you think of his future prospects, and moreover he's averaging under 30 in his last ten Tests.

I'd still rather keep him in the side than Wade, but I don't think his dropping would be particularly harsh.

The pitches in India's last tour were a bit of a mix weren't they? He was one of our better performers then. I like Travis but I think Wade has done more and asked to sacrifice more for the team. If Puc and Warner play I'd prefer Wade over Head for the next test.

 

[stephen]

Head and Wade are averaging virtually the same since Wade's recall. Head has more upside but honestly Wade deserves to keep his spot more. Wade also doesn't have glaring flaws in his technique and appears to be in form.

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah, WAde over Head on form seems a pretty straight forward decision.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Wade is more in form with the bay and better fielding option too. That drop from Head was so bad it just boggles me what he was thinking about. I don’t want to see him Aw his Head for a while

 

[Red]

I've heard from guys who play with him they doubt he'll ever be "right".

what does this even mean?