Australia’s Matthew Wade feels the heat in India as Ashes selection nears
Australia are keen to win the final ODI against India in Nagpur on Sunday, but wicketkeeper Matthew Wade needs to score runs to justify selection.
Australia pulled off a consolation win over India in the fourth ODI in Bangalore, but ahead of the final game of the series here on Sunday, wicketkeeper Matthew Wade said his side won’t step up merely to respect the fixture.
“The final match is important to us. There has been plenty of talk about our record away from home, so it was nice to get that monkey off the back with a win in the last match that can hopefully get some momentum going forward,” he told the pre-match press conference at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Jamtha on Saturday.
READ | Indian cricket team’s depth testing under focus in final ODI vs Australia
“Our players have not performed well enough, myself included. It will be nice to finish here with a win and then lead into the Australian summer,” the 29-year-old added.
Australia will also play three T20Is against India before they lock horns with England in the Ashes series starting in November.
Batting problems
Given that Matthew Wade hasn’t been in the best of batting form, he admitted he has been told by the selectors he needs to have runs under his belt to be included in the squad.
READ | Umesh Yadav wants rotation policy for Indian pacers to continue
“I probably have not scored enough runs. My performance has been summed up by me getting dropped in the last game (third ODI), so there is no point sitting here and thinking about what has already happened. The selectors have told me I need score runs if I am to be picked,” Matthew Wade said. He, however, defended his keeping, which had come under a lot of criticism in the Bangladesh series.
“I thought I kept quite well in Bangladesh, I know there was lot of talk, especially during the first Test with the number of byes I conceded. But if you look at their keeper and given the conditions I thought we were quite similar. I felt in the second Test especially, I took some good chances.
READ | BCCI commits a big goof-up during India vs Australia ODI, gets trolled heavily
“I have been pretty good in India where I felt I kept quite well. Selectors have told me there have been no concerns with my keeping; they just want me to score more runs.”
Wade’s role in the side is under the scanner with Peter Nevill rising and Tim Paine included in the squad for the T20I series. Peter Handscomb, who kept in the third ODI in Indore, is another option, though the 26-year-old is an opener who dropped a crucial catch in that game.