Handscomb likely to replace Adam Wade
chittagong — Australia captain Steve Smith has said wicket-keeper Matthew Wade could be axed from the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong after failing to do enough with the bat.
Australia were upset by 20 runs in the opening test in Dhaka, triggering a storm of criticism from local media and heaping pressure on Wade who has struggled for runs since replacing Peter Nevill during the home series against South Africa.
Smith said it was possible selectors could elect to throw the gloves to batsman Peter Handscomb.
“It certainly would be a tough call (on Wade). I think when we are looking at Matty we just need a little bit more from him with the bat in particular,” Smith told reporters.
“And he knows this, he knows that he has to do a little bit better with the bat. And he’s had those conversations. So it’ll just depend which way we want to go on the balance of the team as well.
“(Handscomb) certainly has kept and we’ve seen him keep before and he’s done a good job, so, if we go that way we are confident that he will do a good job,” Smith added.
Wade managed nine runs from his two innings in the first Test and also had a poor series with the bat against India in February and March. Queries have also dogged number three batsman Usman Khawaja, who failed twice in Dhaka and Smith declined to guarantee the left-hander a place at Chittagong. —