Ind vs Aus 1st Test, Australia’s Playing 11 for Adelaide Test- Who will open the innings? Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has given a solution for Australia’s opening combination problem. The hosts are in a catch 22 situation on whom they should open with against India in 1st Test in Adelaide starting Thursday.
They have various opening combinations to go with, however, according to Ponting, Mathew Wade would be a perfect replacement for injured David Warner.
In an interview with an Australian media outlet, the cricketing great said that Wade and Joe Burns could open for Australia.
“I think you’ve got to tell Wade it’s just for one game. ‘Wadey’ will want to do it; he’ll be excited by this, he’s that sort of character that he’d love the chance to get up there and take on the Indian opening bowlers in a Test match. He won’t shy away from it.”
“What I am doing is moving Matthew Wade up to the top of the order to open with (Burns), (give) a left-hand, right-hand combination,” he added. “We saw last time India were out here and we had two left-handers at the top of the order, the India bowling attack absolutely dominated the two lefties, so that’s the way I’m going.
The 168-Test veteran was impressed with Burns last summer and believes selectors should show faith in the incumbent opener, based largely on his achievements across his 21-Test career.
In nine first-class innings this summer, the 31-year-old has made 62 runs at 6.89, with a highest score of 29. His most recent four innings have come against the touring Indians, against whom he has made scores of 4, 0, 0, 1.
“I’m sticking with Joe Burns,” Ponting said on Seven. “I’ve heard a lot of suggestions that he hasn’t scored enough runs to stay in the side but I’m keeping him in there.
“He made 40 in his last Test innings, he’s made four Test hundreds, averages almost 40 – I’m sticking with him and showing some faith. I think he’s good enough to get through it.
“What Marcus Harris hasn’t done is score (Test) hundreds – (his) highest score is 70-odd, (whereas) Joe Burns can score Test match hundreds. I’m sticking with him.”
Promoting Wade in the top-order would also make room for Cameron Green at number six. “Hopefully he’s fit – he had that concussion sub in the last Australia A game but he’s in very, very good form so I’d slot him in at number six,” he said. “I’m really excited by him and looking forward to watching him play.”
Ind vs Aus 1st Test: Options for Australia for the first test match –
1) Option 1 – Marsh scored three centuries in his last four matches for Western Australia in the Shield.
2) Option 2 – Marcus Harris, who opened in all four tests of the 2018/19 series defeat by India, is seen as another option after a strong start in the first class competition.
3) Option 3 – Marnus Labuschagne can be asked to open
4) Option 4 – If fit, Will Pucovski can start Australian innings
Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
India Test squad: Virat Kohli (c) (first Test only), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj