Former Australia wicketkeeper batsman Adam Gilchrist wants the current national side to play more aggressive cricket with the bat and not let teams exploit their weakness against quality spin through the middle-overs in ODIs.
With Australia long struggling to cover the flaws in the middle-order, Gilchrist batted for the inclusion of Western Australia and Sydney Sixers' right-hander Josh Philippe via the series against England in the UK, starting Friday (September 11).
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23-year-old Philippe is yet to make his national debut but is considered one of the brightest prospects in the circuit. Gilchrist thinks the youngster can be backed and allowed time to develop into a key batsman at the 2023 World Cup in India.
"For a long while it's almost seemed that Australia hasn't quite known what their best XI is, maybe what their best 13 is," the legend was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. "I reckon a guy who, in time, could very well be the solution, whether it's going out at No.1 or 2 or getting a chance in that middle order, is Josh Philippe."
"Very exciting young talent, still learning his craft, about himself and what his capabilities are, and of course match situations. But the quicker you get them exposed to the top level with that uninhibited approach, he can maybe catch a few teams off guard."
"That's only going to instil more confidence in him to not suddenly have to think he's got to rein it in because he's at the next level," he added.
Next of Gilchrist's issues with the line-up is the role of contemporary gloveman Alex Carey with the bat. Gilchrist wants Carey to play more knocks lower down the order of the kind he regularly provided at the top and make Australia a well-round unit, capable of posting good enough scores on the board.
"That wicketkeeping role, Alex Carey showing so much promise in an array of facets of the game – leadership, his wicketkeeping is excellent, he's opened in Big Bash with great success, and he's shown some really solid form in that middle-order finishing role," he said.
"But he still hasn't consistently banged out 80 off 40, total game-changing innings, a la a guy like (England's Jos) Buttler does regularly, or (Jonny) Bairstow if he happens to have the gloves."
"That wicketkeeping allrounder position has not quite been totally fulfilled, probably since Brad Haddin."
"So there'll be some decisions to be made there by selectors about who they think can do it, or by Alex Carey about just how innovative and creative and aggressive he needs to be to have that impact," Gilchrist added.
