Hands up for Handscomb
Vics coach calls for batsman to return to Test side
CRICKET: The Australian batting line-up for the first Test against India should be locked in by Tuesday and support is building for Peter Handscomb to once again wear a baggy green cap.
With two half-centuries in the Vics Sheffield Shield defeat at the Gabba this week, Handscomb outperformed his rival for a middle order spot, South Australian Travis Head.
Dismissed for just 11 in Tasmania yesterday, Head didn’t pass 50 in the first innings either and with a Test average of 65.5 in Australia, with two hundreds, the numbers play out in Handscomb’s favour.
The fact extra batsmen were picked in coach Justin Langer’s squad for next week’s opening Test against India has led many to believe a decision on the final line-up hasn’t been made.
Langer seemed to endorse Head when the squad was named, but plenty believe he is still in a battle with Handscomb to bat at number four in Adelaide. Despite a Shield 150 this month, Mitch Marsh, one of two vice-captains, may also not be a lock.
It’s expected the unwanted players will be released from the 14-man Test squad early next week in order to play for their states in the next round of Shield matches, which begin next Friday.
Victorian coach Andrew McDonald said Handscomb, who has 361 Shield runs at an average of 45 this season, has never batted better.
McDonald said players such as Handscomb, who has played 13 Tests, and Victorian opener Marcus Harris were the sort of batsmen Australian cricket needed and deserved a good run at proving themselves.
“The guys they have picked are the ones they believe can take Australian cricket forward from this point,” McDonald said.
“I have no doubt they can do that given the opportunity, and given a decent run at it as well. The key thing is that if you think they are good enough now you are probably going to pick them for the duration of the summer.
“If you get that opportunity in four or five Test matches you find out whether you can play at that level.”
Handscomb is proven at Test level, and McDonald believes now is the perfect time to get him back in the Test team.
The 26-year-old is not just batting well, but he’s batting positively. He has the secondbest strike rate of anyone with more than 350 Shield runs this season, and only five players have hit more fours than Handscomb through the opening five games.
India opener Prithvi Shaw, meanwhile, will miss next week’s first Test because of an ankle injury.
Shaw hurt himself trying to complete a catch on the boundary early on day three of India’s tour match at the SCG, snaffling the ball, then rolling his ankle while attempting to stay in the field of play.