Australia's revamped batting lineup is ready for anything
Australia's revamped batting lineup is ready for anything
Australian cricketer Travis Head has stated that the team is fully prepared for all challenges ahead of their upcoming Test series against the West Indies. The two sides are set to face off in a three-match Test series on Caribbean soil.
In the West Indies, there will be only four members of the Australian team that was also part of the previous test series played in 2015, in which Steven Smith is still recovering from the finger injury in New York. It's probably not surprising that there is some uncertainty about the conditions they will encounter in the first match in Barbados.
The team had their first training session of the tour at Kensington Oval, which was optional. All the batters showed up, but most of the bowlers, except for Matt Kuhnemann, did not attend. The session was interrupted by rain on a windy day, and the Test pitch was only briefly uncovered. The batters used the time they had on nearby practice fields. The players are staying open-minded since they are using the Duke's ball in the Caribbean, which is a different version from the one used in England.
Regarding this, Travis Head said that he thought the team had been prepared for the seam and spin for the respective game. He said, "We might begin the game, and it could change into different strategies and approaches. As a batter, you need to be ready for anything. Once you understand the situation, you can create a plan to be prepared for everything."
Since their 2015-16 tour, Australia has only visited the West Indies twice once for a white-ball series during the Covid period in 2021 (with three ODIs played in Barbados), and again during last year’s T20 World Cup, where Travis Head was part of the squad. “The pitches spun a bit and were quite slow,” Head recalled. “But I’ve heard things may be different now, especially with the Duke's ball in play.”
This time, Australia’s top order will be missing 14,570 Test runs compared to their last match at Lord’s against South Africa, due to Steve Smith being injured and Marnus Labuschagne being dropped. They’ve been replaced by Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis. Smith might be back for the second Test in Grenada, and Labuschagne could return if there’s another injury, since he’s currently the only backup batter in the squad. Still, this series gives an early look at the “reset” Pat Cummins mentioned after the World Test Championship final.
It’ll be the first time since 2018 (against India at the MCG) that Australia plays a Test without either Smith or Labuschagne. Labuschagne came back for the last match of that 2018 series, and Smith returned from his ban to start the 2019 Ashes. Since then, both have been regulars in the team.
“It’ll feel a bit new when we start the match,” said Head. “But most of the guys already have some Test experience and have been part of the squad for a while, so it shouldn’t feel too unfamiliar.”
The batting order hasn’t been finalised yet. While coach Andrew McDonald had earlier said Head might open the innings if the pitches are similar to those in the subcontinent, Head thinks that’s unlikely now. It’s expected that Konstas will open with Usman Khawaja and get three Tests to settle in, to build a stable opening pair for the Ashes.