Melbourne [Australia]: Australian skipper Pat Cummins said that the results and batting scores from Australia A’s first unofficial Test against India A would not 100 per cent be the reason of someone being selected to fill up the final opening slot ahead of highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, starting from November 22 with first Test at Perth.
Fine half-centuries from skipper Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster helped Australia A chase down a target of 225 runs set by India A and secure a seven-wicket win in the first unofficial Test at Mackay on Sunday.
With the second unofficial game set to take place at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, the competition tightens up for Marcus Harris, Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas and Cameron Bancroft , the main contenders of the opening slot left vacant by shifting down of Steve Smith to number four, injury to all-rounder Cameron Green and international retirement of David Warner.
Speaking ahead of the first ODI against Pakistan, which will take place on Monday at Melbourne, Cummins said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, “I think it is like a final bit of information. It is never as clean cut as a bat off. Some of these guys have only played a few games of Shield cricket, and then you have got other guys who have played over a decade.”
“That last couple of weeks, is it really important? It is got some importance, but it is not going to guide the 100 per cent of the decision. So it is that final bit of decision.”
“In some regards, it is a lot of pressure on those last two games, which, whether you like it or not, it is probably what you are going to get in Test cricket anyway. So I suppose, again, whoever does get picked, they have experienced as much pressure as they might get in a Test debut anyway. So it means they are pretty well placed,” he concluded.
McSweeney emerged as a standout performer with scores of 39 and 88 in the match while Konstas failed to make a mark with scores of 0 and 16. Harris scored 17 and 36 while Bancroft made 0 and 16 runs.
On being asked if Marnus Labuschagne could open the batting and let McSweeney bat at his usual first-class cricket spot of number three for Australia, Cummins said, “You could do. Again, maybe once we kind of start discussing who is in the side, then you start looking at the batting order.”
“Ronnie [Andrew McDonald the head coach] and I have said it quite a bit, we think the place where you bat is not that important. You try and work out how the batting order as a whole is going to function best. And I do not think anyone should be super protective around a certain spot,” he added.
The most awaited Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia will begin on November 22, with the first Test at Perth.
The second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium’s lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18.
The customary Boxing Day Test, set for December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, will bring the series to its penultimate stage.
The fifth and final Test, to take place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the series climax, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest.