Bailey also said After speaking with him Wednesday morning, Sam Konstas had taken the axing quite nicely. As the national selectors choose a 15-man roster that offers them a wide range of options, Tasmania opener Jake Weatherald receives his first international call-up, and Sam Konstas is left out of Australia’s Test team for the opening Ashes Test match against England.
After a strong start to the season with Queensland, Marnus Labuschagne—who was benched in the West Indies earlier this year—is expected to be called up to the starting lineup. However, it is unclear where he will bat, since it will probably depend on Cameron Green’s ability to play all-round.
George Bailey, the chair of the selectors, emphasized that Labuschagne could bat wherever but stated that no decisions had been made on the final XI or batting order.
“He can bat three, he could open,” Bailey stated. “He’s got the skill set for both, but he’s been looking pretty good of late.”
After opening the batting for Tasmania and Australia A for the past 14 months and accumulating 1391 runs at 53.50 and striking at 68.65, Bailey believed Weatherald had earned his spot.
“I think it’s a pretty solid record for sort of 18-24 months,” Bailey stated. “I don’t believe there has been a really strong batting performance, but I do believe that his approach has been quite consistent. He seems to be at a really clear place, in my opinion. The way he approaches it, we don’t see any kind of shifting from innings to innings.
That indicates to me that he is someone who is well-aware of how they want to play and how they believe they will perform at their highest level. And as a result, he has some natural offensive abilities and happens to score at a rate of four runs per over without being overly careless about it.”
“Every conversation with Sam Konstas is a joy,” he stated. He has a positive attitude on life.
He’s still really positive. I believe that the level of scrutiny being placed on him is nearly unparalleled. Just checking in to see how he’s feeling about the year’s beginning and what his current priorities are. After then, it was more about what we wanted to see and what we could do to help him moving ahead. In reality, cricket is all about runs, no matter how complex we attempt to make it.
Although it’s unclear if Green and fellow all-rounder Beau Webster will be included in the same XI as they have in Australia’s last four Test matches, they have both been named in the squad.
Beginning on November 11, Green will bowl 15 to 20 overs for Western Australia in the next Shield match at the WACA stadium.
Bailey emphasized that both all-rounders could be included in the same squad and reaffirmed that Green, who has been among Australia’s top batsmen in their previous two Test matches at No. 3 on challenging Caribbean conditions, could bat anywhere. However, Bailey said that the selectors will closely monitor Green’s performance following an increase in his bowling loads in the fourth Shield round.
He remarked, “It’s nice to have options,” “Watching Cam Green bowl is definitely something to do.” After that, I believe that since 14 of your 15-man team is playing shield cricket, you should just finish the match and see how everyone is doing.
It’s probably just a physical check-in, in my opinion. Yes, there are choices for how we can and might set it up with that squad, but there’s never a rush to choose a team 16 days before the first ball is bowled.
The only member of the team not to participate in the next Shield round is Usman Khawaja. Khawaja sustained a small “adductor strain” in the most recent game, but Bailey stated that this does not exclude him from playing in the Test. Khawaja’s absence from the fourth Shield round and participation in the first three were long-planned.
When Pat Cummins is not available, Steven Smith will lead the team. In order to be healthy for the second Test in Brisbane, Cummins, who has been dealing with a lumbar stress strain, will go to Perth with the team and keep increasing his bowling loads.
With the help of at least one all-round player, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Nathan Lyon appear to be the four-man attack. Lyon is making a comeback to the starting lineup after being dropped out of Australia’s most recent Test match in Jamaica when the selectors decided to go with four quicks.
Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett have been selected as the backup fast bowlers. Doggett rejoins the team after missing the Caribbean tour because of a hip injury.
Abbott is still in the team after serving as a backup fast bowler during this year’s Sri Lankan and West Indies tours. Although Michael Neser has had a great start to the season for Queensland, taking 11 wickets in his first two Shield games on batter-friendly fields, including two four-wicket hauls, there is no room for him. Neser is still a possibility to play later in the series, according to Bailey.
“He still is in the frame absolutely,” Bailey’s statement suggested. “The bowling conversation is just complementary skill sets for what we think we may need should there be any moving parts for Perth.”
Josh Inglis, who has played as a specialist bat in three Test matches this year, has been named the reserve wicketkeeper but can also be used as a reserve hitter. When Alex Carey was replaced due to a concussion during Australia’s most recent Test bowling innings in Jamaica, he also kept wickets.
Three days after the final Twenty20 International match against India in Brisbane on November 8, Inglis will participate in WA’s fourth Shield round match against Queensland at the WACA venue starting on November 11.
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