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'If you are going to make a change, do it somewhere else': Australia legend backs star batter to retain spot in 2nd Test
Australia seem to have found a good balance and wouldn’t want to upset the chemistry of their team
The Ashes tend to raise as many questions as they provide answers after every single Test for both teams. After the narrow contest at Edgbaston, in which Australia won by two wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series, both camps will have to deal with out-of-form openers and the question of balance. While Australia, who maintained the same XI for the World Test Championship finals and the Edgbaston Test, seem to have found a good balance and wouldn’t want to upset the chemistry of their team, opener David Warner’s poor run of form off late has still become a point of discussion.
Former Australian cricketer and selector David Boon weighed in on the debate, after Warner scored 45 runs across the two innings at Edgbaston, having struggled against India at the Oval as well. In particular, Boon spoke out against the idea of promoting Travis Head to the top of the order. “There are a lot of different ways that you can look at it. If I was looking at it, I think Warner is still going to open. He looked better in the second innings, more in control and Travis Head has been going so well where he is batting. I would find it difficult to change that,” said the former batter on the SEN Tassie podcast.
Head has opened in Test matches in the past for Australia, but was pushed back down into the number 5 spot where he has nailed down a spot for himself. Usman Khawaja’s return to the fold after being dropped in the wake of the 2019 Ashes, and his form in recent months including the man-of-the-match performance at Edgbaston where he batted on all 5 days, has made him undroppable.
“I believe if you are going to make a change, make it somewhere else and leave Travis where he is. He has now had at least 18 months of exceptional cricket under his belt, with a number of hundreds and playing aggressively as well. So I personally wouldn't change that,” continued Boon, who served as a selector of the national team in the late 2000s, and is now a match referee for the ICC elite panel.
Head has enjoyed a phenomenal WTC cycle, scoring 1389 runs at an average of above 55 and striking at over 80 with 4 centuries, becoming Australia’s counter-punching enforcer in the middle of their order. He was on top form in the WTC finals, where his first-innings century sank India’s hopes in that match.
Boon was complimentary of the Australian batting lineup, which now looks remarkably strong: “The Australian team, as many have done before, are batting around Usman Khawaja. He hasn't changed the way he plays and neither should he. Labuschagne is not going to miss out too many times, Smith is obviously quality and then they have Travis following them. I think that's a good three, four and five.”
With batting and bowling both ticking along nicely and Cameron Green and Alex Carey providing solid balance in the late middle order, it is also a question of who would replace Warner, if he does get dropped. The veteran opener was dropped on the tour of India earlier this year, with Head filling in at the top and spin specialist Peter Handscomb taking his place in the middle order. Handscomb, however, is not part of the squad for the first two Tests, but options such as Mitchell Marsh and Matt Renshaw might be under consideration.
The second Ashes Test begins at Lord’s on 28 June, but Australia might look to go with a team which has been successful in the English summer so far. Questions remain for England, however, as they face issues with Jonny Bairstow’s wicketkeeping and Moeen Ali’s fitness. Coaches Andrew McDonald and Brendon McCullum have big decisions to make.
