Road to India in Australia 2024-25

[TheJediBrah]

Well both sides have finished their respective major series now and Australia won't play another Test until this starts, so might as well get this thread rolling now.

On Aus I have no qualms with the seven names they've picked but they need to think hard about the order. It just feels wrong as it stands, just really unbalanced.

The answer could be as simple as swapping Smith and Head. It mixes up the plodders and the dashers better, and "Head is doing so great at no. 5 we don't want to move him" isn't a thing anymore

 

[honestbharani]

The answer could be as simple as swapping Smith and Head. It mixes up the plodders and the dashers better, and "Head is doing so great at no. 5 we don't want to move him" isn't a thing anymore

It was my original suggestion too but he also won you a WTC batting at 5. I can see why the team would be reluctant.

 

[Sunil1z]

Yeah , Head can be ideal replacement for Warner.

 

[Socerer 01]

Head against early seam and swing sounds very bad

 

[Sunil1z]

 

[Spark]

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That doesn't mean he'll play in the Tests unless he puts together some Ranji games right? The BCCI seems to have gotten real serious of late about players having to earn their spots the "right" way.

 

[Spark]

Head against early seam and swing sounds very bad

Could be amazing, could be catastrophic. Tbf it's not like it would be that different to what we've been accustomed to over the last few years

 

[Sunil1z]

That doesn't mean he'll play in the Tests unless he puts together some Ranji games right? The BCCI seems to have gotten real serious of late about players having to earn their spots the "right" way.

They want him badly in the Team . He was our best Test batsman pre-accident

 

[TheJediBrah]

Head against early seam and swing sounds very bad

Head in the middle order is bad anyway

 

[Starfighter]

That doesn't mean he'll play in the Tests unless he puts together some Ranji games right? The BCCI seems to have gotten real serious of late about players having to earn their spots the "right" way.

I think they'd let him back in a heartbeat, but 'fit for the IPL' means 'can get out of bed without assistance'.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Did Pant ever look fit enough to get out of bed without assistance?

 

[Burgey]

We need to return Smith to number 4 and slip Green down the order a bit. The conundrum then becomes who opens and who misses out of Green/Marsh/Head assuming Khwaja and Labuschagne retain their spots.
An injection of youth is required and there is no guarantee that our 4 main bowlers will stay the same throughout the series.

I reckon there's a decent chance Head will open. He can't be any worse than Warner in his last 3 or 4 seasons, and if he gets going he takes all the pressure off Khawaja, who seems to be batting at snail's pace these days. I realize he's a massive chance to get Bumrah'ed early but he's also likely to smoke a hundred by before tea day one and set up the whole game for you.

 

[Burgey]

Head against early seam and swing sounds very bad

Yeah it is a dodgy idea but he also has a habit of making ridiculous runs when no one else can get it off the square. Just a weird ass player tbh. Smith back to four and Green at five looks and feels better to me. Marsh will be the interesting one to see if he can keep being as productive as he has been recently. I am not backing him vs the Indian attack but he will definitely get first crack, and deserves it.

 

[centurymaker]

But Head won't open unless Australia fare badly in the first 2-3 games and both Smith and Head continue to struggle in their positions.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Even when he was at his best Head looked terrible at the crease. Missing straight balls and wafting outside off stump with abandon. Honestly can't see how opening against the new ball would make it any worse, because there's not much worse it could get tbh

 

[Sunil1z]

Even when he was at his best Head looked terrible at the crease. Missing straight balls and wafting outside off stump with abandon. Honestly can't see how opening against the new ball would make it any worse, because there's not much worse it could get tbh

Are you serious?
The guy won you WTC Final and ODI WC Final . Atleast have some respect 🫡.

 

[centurymaker]

Are you serious?
The guy won you WTC Final and ODI WC Final . Atleast have some respect 🫡.

He fluked it somewhat ..is what he is implying.

 

[Spark]

He fluked it somewhat ..is what he is implying.

Are you serious?
The guy won you WTC Final and ODI WC Final . Atleast have some respect 🫡.

New to TJB on Head I see

 

[Sunil1z]

I would like someone to fluke us a ICC trophy

 

[Burgey]

Head just needs to get through 25 balls or so on any given day and he becomes the White Sobers. It doesn't matter where he bats or who against.