Australia keep calm as batting unit faces scrutiny

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The torrent of criticism the Australian team has copped — especially from the horde of ex-players in their own country — is enough to make one believe they are on the brink of crisis.

This week it was Matthew Hayden, donning a massive straw hat, out-of-date sunglasses and possibly while consuming a chardonnay, who ripped into the selectors, George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide.,

“Where we are at is that we are promoting the greatest pile of mediocrity e’ve seen in a generation of cricket,” the former opener said on the All Over Bar The Cricket podcast.

The comment generated clicks, but it was also reflective of the broader mood Down Under. Ricky Ponting and Ian Healy are other notables who’ve outlined their unhappiness with some decisions.

It all makes it hard to believe that over the past three years, Pat Cummins’s team have lost only five of their last 25 Tests. They won six out of eight series, including the Ashes, and beat India.

The notable defeats have been to a Shamar Joseph-inspired West Indies in Brisbane in 2024, Bangladesh in August and South Africa in the World Test Championship final last year.

It’s the batting that has come in for the most scrutiny from critics, with many viewing the reliance on Steve Smith, Travis Head and, to a lesser extent, Alex Carey, as being unsustainable.

However, the Australian coach, Andrew McDonald, is keeping his cool.

“We are an incredibly talented batting unit who’ve put on some significant numbers over a period of time,” he said.

“Relative to the rest of the world, we’re still going pretty well. We’re the No 1 team for a reason. People have been looking into our batting. Well, it’s been functional. A higher functioning level than the opposition and that’s always the tell that the conditions have been difficult.”

It would have to be quite compelling for us to shift towards two spinners. Over the next few days that surface may push us in that direction

— Andrew McDonald, Australian coach

Batting averages have plummeted in the past five years as home teams set up pitches to suit their bowlers. Perhaps it’s one drawback of the World Test Championship competition that, as teams try to qualify for that final and with winning imperative, pitches have either seamed too much — as in England, where even Lord’s has been issued a warning — or spun heaps.

Pakistan have been foremost among those, with the great Waqar Younis decrying how it was killing the development of fast bowlers in that country.

But there are concerns for the Australians ahead of the first Test against a South African attack that, even without Kagiso Rabada, McDonald knows will pose a major challenge for his side.

“If you look at the SA attack, left-arm pace, left-arm spin, right-arm spin, high speed, there are a lot of skillsets we will have to navigate.”

The Australian batting unit does not have a settled opening pair. The doors of the last chance saloon are being held ajar for Marnus Labuschagne, and their middle order for the Durban Test will be missing Cameron Green, who made a century in his last Test.

“Always it’s about how can we get the runs we need,” McDonald said.

In Smith and Head they have one batter who is an all-time great and another who is hard to stop once in flow. The big question has been, given the inconsistency with the bat, where does Head fit in?

For now, said McDonald, it will be at the top of the order, most likely alongside Matt Renshaw, who made a return to the Test side only in August after a three-year absence.

“If we are expecting spinning conditions and thus a flatter surface early, it makes sense for Travis to open.”

The Australians are closely monitoring the preparation of the Kingsmead surface over the next few days. Rain is being forecast for Saturday, but for the remainder of the match it will be sunny, with the usual east coast humidity to deal with.

Given the time of year the Test is being played, there is not a lot of historical data to work off. However, like the Proteas, McDonald said the options available in the squad mean the tourists can go in various directions with their starting team.

The question for the Australians said McDonald, was when does the ball start spinning?

“It would have to be quite compelling for us to shift towards two spinners. Over the next few days that surface may push us in that direction.”

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