Urgent change Khawaja hopes will kickstart Test team overhaul

Former Australian opener Usman Khawaja believes a lot of the team’s Test batting woes would be solved moving Matt Renshaw to the top of the order.

It comes as the Aussies were forced to follow on and were smashed by the Proteas, losing by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha.

Renshaw had a starring performance batting at five in the first Test against South Africa, but Australia has a glut of batters capable of performing in the middle order, and not many standing up in the top three.

Veteran Nic Maddinson was shockingly picked to open in the tour of South Africa, having not played Sheffield Shield cricket in 18 months, summing up the lack of clear options.

Maddinson has struggled in the first two Tests, making just eight runs across three of his innings, and clearly won’t be the first-choice option come the home summer against New Zealand.

With Cameron Green and Josh Inglis a chance to return from injury, Khawaja believes the clear move is pushing Renshaw to the top of the order alongside Travis Head.

"I just think Renshaw has to open for that reason," Khawaja told Fox Cricket.

“We’ve just got so many middle order batters. Josh Inglis can bat in the middle, his record at the top of the order isn’t very good in red ball cricket.

"Renshaw is a proven Test opener and Test openers don't fall off trees. We have learnt that over the last few years.

"Why would you not put him up in the spot where it is hardest to bat? His game is beautifully suited for it. He leaves really well, he plays the ball late, he knows how to score big runs. He's the perfect opener.

“And if you want to mix him with Travis Head, much like how David Warner and I fed off each other, then you’ve got a nice pairing there if you want to keep Head up the top.

"Then you've got nice options down the bottom you can have. I think there's a lot more middle order players in Australia than top order players and fair enough too.

"It's a tough place to bat, especially this day and age. And I don't think they're going anywhere."

Beyond that, Marnus Labuschagne’s spot in the side remains in significant doubt, as his struggle to make runs continues indefinitely.

If he is to be dropped, Khawaja actually believes Steve Smith is the one who should bat at three, with Green, Inglis and potentially Head in the middle order.

"Smudge (Smith) loves batting three. He loves it. He loves getting out there sooner rather than later. He would have no issue getting out there at three if Travis Head had to bat at four," Khawaja said.

"I think Head has a really good record batting at four, especially for South Australia.

“There are options there. He can bat at four. Leave Cam Green at five.”

If a replacement for Labuschagne is desired, Khawaja sees multiple candidates in the Sheffield Shield who could be called upon.

"We've got plenty of players in Sheffield Shield cricket who are very good players, who are pretty much averaging and doing the same as Marnus in that respect," Khawaja added.

"You've got Kurtis Patterson right now who is scoring the house down. Marnus averages 38 in Sheffield Shield cricket, Kurtis is about 39. He's just scored a hundred, he's been scoring runs the other day.

“Peter Handscomb, 39, terrific player. Cameron Bancroft, only 32 years old, also at 38 (average). You have Marcus Harris as well. These are all Test players.

“Jack Clayton, who is a young guy that I played with. He’s scored six centuries averaging 38 and no one talks about him.

"So the narrative of when people devalue Shield cricket, it frustrates me because I'm like, OK, if Marnus is good enough to play for Australia with that Sheffield Shield record, why can't any of these guys play?"

Former Australian bowler Kerry O'Keeffe believes Patterson and Clayton could both be in squad calculations for the home summer against New Zealand.

“In that list, the two that interest me, and I know you’ve played with and against them, are Jack Clayton, who bats four for Queensland, and then Kurtis Patterson, who bats three for New South Wales,” he said.

“I think they’ve got a higher ceiling at this stage of the careers than some of the others on that list, and I think they’ll enter calculations back in Australia.”

Possible Aussie XI vs New Zealand

1. Matt Renshaw, 2. Sam Konstas, 3. Steve Smith, 4. Travis Head, 5. Cameron Green, 6. Josh Inglis, 7. Alex Carey, 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Josh Hazlewood