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*Official* Australia in India 2023

The_CricketUmpire

State 12th Man
Hodge had a pretty stellar FC career. I think you could argue he'd have been selected ahead of Head definitely (averages 48 v 40) and probably Labuschagne (46) too on the basis of that. I know those two have done well since making the team (as Hodge did in his limited Test opportunities), but had a Hodge been there, would they have got the chance?
Exactly ?
 

Gob

International Coach
Hodge will occupy a single spot and there are several other spots for the likes of Marnus and Head to make their own. Marnus is obviously a far better player now than Hodge ever was
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
Hodge will occupy a single spot and there are several other spots for the likes of Marnus and Head to make their own. Marnus is obviously a far better player now than Hodge ever was
Hodge was unlucky to be born in an era when the Aussie batting was so strong and he didn't get the career he probably deserved.

Stuart Law was another as was Martin Love a touch later. Probably quite a few others as well.
 

Gob

International Coach
Hodge was unlucky to be born in an era when the Aussie batting was so strong and he didn't get the career he probably deserved.

Stuart Law was another as was Martin Love a touch later. Probably quite a few others as well.
You can say the same for Lehmann to a degree
 

Molehill

Cricketer Of The Year
You can say the same for Lehmann to a degree
Perhaps Elliott as well. There was a period when it felt like the 2nd best International batting line up was the Australia A Team. In fact, seem to remember that team chasing down 300 plus in a warm up Ashes game, perhaps why those games have largely become a thing of the past now.
 

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Hodge was a much better player than Handscomb
Yeah for sure.

The odd thing about this is I actually wasn't even thinking of Handscomb as a test incumbent. I didn't even think of him in the middle order, was thinking more of Marnus, Smith & Head as the 3, 4, 5 and Green at six and Handscomb as sort of the guy they only wheel out to play in India every four years.

Which tbh is what I think his role should be.

Edit: having said that, you'd think Hodge's FC numbers would certainly have got him a gig head of Trav.
 
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Gob

International Coach
I think Warner gets in the Ashes squad. I think his injury sort of saved his spot cos it meant that he did not completely humiliate himself in India and Renshaw also sucked. They also talk very highly of what he brings to the team so can't see them having balls to not pick him

And ftr if the choice was between Warner, Harris and Bancroft, I'd go for Warner every time
 

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Yeah it's an interesting one. If Whiteman makes a ton of runs int he remaining innings and gets on the tour it might well be different, but I agree both Bancroft the Human Net Negative that is Marcus Harris are both terrible options.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Whiteman would go well in England IMO. Plays it really late for an Australian bat and doesn't overcommit on the front foot.

No way will Warner be dropped before the series even starts though, especially given what happened when they used that sort of logic to drop Head before this series.
 

Ashes81

State Vice-Captain
From an English point of view, I think we'd be happy to see Warner play.

In the last Ashes in England he obviously struggled badly and Broad has his number.

Doesn't mean he won't go well if he's picked but he's never done well over here and he's clearly past his best.
 

GoodAreasShane

Cricketer Of The Year
Wasn't too bad in 2015, got plenty of starts but usually tossed it away trying to maul Moeen Ali. If he had have went on with it once I suspect that series would be viewed rather differently

Honestly think Whiteman is a decent shout, although that is with the caveat of how few other viable options there seem to be. Warner seemingly continuing to decline, Bancroft and Harris both having flopped hard in their previous oppurtunities, none of the younger generation putting up the sort of domestic numbers that demand any higher honours, it really is a less than ideal situation all round
 

The_CricketUmpire

State 12th Man
Perhaps Elliott as well. There was a period when it felt like the 2nd best International batting line up was the Australia A Team. In fact, seem to remember that team chasing down 300 plus in a warm up Ashes game, perhaps why those games have largely become a thing of the past now.

This is a list of batsman I have compiled from that very strong era (1990s to early/mid 2000s) who either played little to no Test cricket for Australia. Below is their First-Class record.

Jamie Siddons: 11,587 @ 44.91

Jamie Cox: 18,614 @ 42.69

Stuart Law: 27,080 @ 50.52

Micheal Bevan: 19,147 @ 57.32

Martin Love: 16,952 @ 49.85

Darren Lehmann: 25,795 @ 57.83

Matthew Elliot: 17,251 @ 47.00

David Hussey: 14,280 @ 52.50

Jimmy Maher: 13,149 @ 38.78

Andrew Symonds: 14,477 @ 42.20

Tom Moody: 21,001 @ 46.25

Brad Hodge: 17,084 @ 48.81

Michael Di Venuto: 25,200 @ 45.90
 

duffer

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
This is a list of batsman I have compiled from that very strong era (1990s to early/mid 2000s) who either played little to no Test cricket for Australia. Below is their First-Class record.

Jamie Siddons: 11,587 @ 44.91

Jamie Cox: 18,614 @ 42.69

Stuart Law: 27,080 @ 50.52

Micheal Bevan: 19,147 @ 57.32

Martin Love: 16,952 @ 49.85

Darren Lehmann: 25,795 @ 57.83

Matthew Elliot: 17,251 @ 47.00

David Hussey: 14,280 @ 52.50

Jimmy Maher: 13,149 @ 38.78

Andrew Symonds: 14,477 @ 42.20

Tom Moody: 21,001 @ 46.25

Brad Hodge: 17,084 @ 48.81

Michael Di Venuto: 25,200 @ 45.90
Did everyone in Shield cricket promise to never bowl bouncers at Bevan or something?
 

Spark

Global Moderator
I didn't realise that there was anything to be worked out when it comes to "toss coin in air"
 

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