Despite Australia’s 10-wicket victory over India in the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval, their top-order batters are under scrutiny for their below-par showing in the first two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Australia’s two innings folded for 104 and 238 in the series opener at Perth, while they racked up 337 on the board in the first innings of the Adelaide Test.
Middle-order batter Travis Head was the standout performer for the hosts in both games. While the southpaw slammed 89 in the second innings of first Test, he played a whirlwind knock of 141-ball 140 in the second Test.
Marnus Labuschagne, who was on the firing line for his low scores lately, returned with a significant knock of 64 in the day-night Test. The likes of Usman Khawaja (34 runs in four innings) and Steve Smith (19 runs in three innings) are yet to set the stage on fire.
Ahead of the third Test in Brisbane, former opener David Warner has opined that the pressure is piling on the Australian top order.
“I think the pressure is on all the top order, not just ‘Uzzie’. Travis came out and counterpunched and scored a brilliant hundred, and we know he’s capable of doing it. But it’s everyone else around supporting that. It’s not just one player in particular, it’s the top six scoring bulk runs and making sure you’re giving rest to the fast bowlers. It was a fast-paced Test in the first game, but this last one was Mitchell Starc at his best as usual with the pink ball. Come Brisbane, we need to see some big runs from the top order,” Warner told Fox Sports.
According to Warner, youngster Nathan McSweeney has got the right temperament for the opener’s role and praised his knock of 39 in the first innings of Adelaide Test.
“He’s had four of probably the five hardest jobs when it comes to an opening batsman, and I think he’s handled it well. We saw glimpses the other day of the intent that you show when you’re scoring, and there are a lot of question marks around why they chose him, but the glimpses that you’ve seen, we now know why. He’s got a good temperament, I like the way he sets up, and I think he’s got a good future ahead of him,” Warner remarked.
He was also effusive in praises of the Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian bowling attack. “It’s just that this bowling attack from India is relentless if they bowl in partnerships. If they bowl like they did the other day with just (Jasprit) Bumrah, hopefully the boys can score some big runs against them,” said Warner.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy currently stands level at 1-1, with the third Test scheduled to be held at the Gabba from December 14.
