All bases will be covered in the squad but Travis Head could have an increasing part to play with the ball
Using three frontline quicks remains an option for Australia on their tour of India with Pat Cummins keeping an opening mind about the balance of the side that they will need.
The last time they won in India, on the 2004 tour, their bowling attack was based around the three-pronged pace of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz alongside the spin of Shane Warne and then some part-time overs.
Australia have the resources to go with a similar shape of team this time although the emergence of Cameron Green has given them greater flexibility. However, Green is expected to miss the first Test in Nagpur due to his broken finger so the selectors will need to decide whether to stick with the two-quick, two-spinner method employed against South Africa or back what is traditionally Australia’s strength in pace bowlers.
Nagpur has not hosted a Test since 2017 and Australia’s previous game there was the VCA Stadium’s maiden fixture in 2008 when Jason Krejza took 12 wickets in the match on debut
Mitchell Starc is also unlikely to be fit for the first Test – and things may yet be tight for the second in Delhi – due to his broken finger suffered at the MCG, but Josh Hazlewood’s impressive return from injury in Sydney, where he was threatening with reverse swing, means he could get more opportunity than presented itself on last year’s trips to Pakistan and Sri Lanka where he only played once. Scott Vohland has been ruled out of the last friendly against South Africa with one overseas game remaining, but unless the pitch is convincing enough to score another spinner he, Cummins, Fielding hazelwood together can be an option.
When asked if he should play faster, Cummins replied, “Probably.” [Josh] showed his class there, no worries about choosing it, you know what you’re getting and it’s quality. increase. All games in India may need to be split into pieces. For example, 3 fast games and 1 fast game. let’s go there and see. “
His second spinner for Australia at the SCG was Ashton Agher, who finished his 22 overs wicketless in the first home Test almost a decade after his debut. Agger has secured a spot for his tour of India and Australia wants to put a left-arm spinner in their attack, but Mitchell Swepson and Todd his Murphy are also on the tour.
However, there is an option for Australia to rely on a part-time spinner combination to complement Nathan Lyon, and Travis Head’s off-spin development makes him a viable option. Head took seven wickets by 13.99 in the final seven Tests after failing to score earlier. “It’s a viable option,” Cummins said. “Think of the team as having all the options. He probably undercut him in that match, so he’s going to have a big role there.”
Bowling aside, batting options for the Tour will likely include Peter Hanscombe, who was drafted into the SCG roster when Marcus Harris was released to play the BBL. Scoring runs (with 81.57) and the Sheffield Shield’s leading runs-scorer, trainer Andrew Macdonald said he was unlucky not to be picked by Sydney in the first place when Matt Renshaw had the advantage.
“He’s a big chance in India. He played really well in Bangladesh in India. He’s been there before,” Cummins said. “He scored a lot in Shield cricket and got the right and I am sure he will be there by selection time or something. It’s nice to have right-handed players, but we have a lot of left-handed players.”
The team is expected to be named later this week and leave at the end of the month. A short training camp in Sydney is also scheduled, and the tour itself does not include a warm-up before the opening test in Nagpur on February 9.