COACH PUTS HEAT ON TOP ORDER
JUSTIN Langer has challenged Australia’s batting unit to “embrace the spotlight” and set the tone for a century-laden summer in Brisbane.
It took until the sixth Test for an Australian to notch triple figures on home soil last season, while only Steve Smith and Matthew Wade managed the feat during the Ashes.
Omitted from the Ashes series, Joe Burns will return to the top of the order to partner David Warner against Pakistan tomorrow, while Mitchell Starc and Travis Head were also locked in for recalls by Langer yesterday.
Pakistan’s exciting pace attack will test Australia and Langer has put it to his top six to respond.
“We’re No.5 in the world in Test cricket at the moment and there’s a reason for that,” he said.
“One of them is that we don’t score 300-plus in the first innings enough. We understand the spotlight on our batting and the boys have got to embrace that.”
Burns has four centuries from 16 Tests, including a career-best 180 in his last game.
“He’s got a very good first innings record and I know Davey likes batting with him,” Langer said. “What we need to do is to get our top three cemented.
“Batsmen are judged on if they score hundreds or not and they’re all aspiring to that ... we’re programmed to want to score hundreds and the more we score the more times we’ll win games of cricket.”
Langer said Starc’s recall to join Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in the pace attack came with confidence in his ability to hit a “first-class length” more often to complement his searing yorker and bouncer.
And he said Head was in fine company after being left out of the final Ashes Test in England.
“He came back (from England) and scored a (Sheffield Shield) hundred. He’s no orphan, we’ve all been dropped,” he said.
“Every Australian player, except I think Adam Gilchrist has been dropped . . . even Sir Donald Bradman was dropped early. Every player gets dropped and then you see if they come back stronger.”
Langer said paceman Michael Neser remained in the frame for a Test debut under lights in Adelaide and that Usman Khawaja should not consider his Test career over.
Khawaja was overlooked in for Cameron Bancroft, who has averaged 11.8 in the Sheffield Shield this season but will serve as Australia’s concussion substitute in Brisbane.
Langer said he would rather see Khawaja finding form for Queensland than in camp as an extra.
“I have great admiration for Uzzy. He’s a fantastic player and I’m sure when he finds a bit of touch, he’ll be pushing very hard for a place in the team,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Test debut for 16year-old Pakistan speedster Naseem Shah is firming after coach Misbahul-Haq backed the prodigy to get the ball talking at the Gabba.
Naseem is one of five Pakistan quicks in contention, pushing his case with a lightning spell in Perth against Australia A.
That effort came days after the death of his mother and brought with it comparisons to Australian fast-bowling great Dennis Lillee from countryman Waqar Younis.
Accurate seamer Mohammad Abbas is expected to play after tormenting Australia in the United Arab Emirates a year ago, while 19year-old Shaheen Afridi, in-form Imran Khan and uncapped Musa Khan could all argue their case.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah has dismissed Steve Smith six times in Test cricket and should get good purchase from the bouncy Gabba track, giving Misbah plenty of options.
The former batsman-turnedcoach and selector did not confirm his final side yesterday, but hinted Naseem had shown he could operate well in Australian conditions.
“Naseem is a fine bowler, a young bowler . . . I think they can (get the Kookaburra ball to move),” he said.
“The way Naseem is bowling at the moment, Shaheen (Afridi), too, is very important with the new ball.
“We hope they can do it. But we need to be very, very disciplined.”
Australia is unbeaten in Tests at the Gabba since 1988.
But, preaching patience, Misbah can see a way through this Australian team and, more pertinently, Smith.
“Any batsman in the world, there is an area where you have to defend the ball and that is the top of off stump,” he said.
“If it’s happening (swinging, seaming), that creates a great chance.
“Top players in the world, if you miss those areas, then they are good enough to cash in. You have to be very, very disciplined.”