Ongoing Test match XI speculation thread.

I just think the best thing for Pucovski's career would be to start at number 6. Especially against this Indian team. If they were playing the West Indies or the Pakistan teenagers, I'd agree to just get him in opening.

I'm not defending Burns, I don't think he or Wade will be in the team for much longer.

How the cricket world has changed that we would now rather blood a young opener against Pakistan and the Windies than against India.
 
I don't think Wade has scored enough test runs to date but he will scrap it out and I think Smith would be strongly in his corner. He gives Smith and Lab someone reliable to bat with.

I couldn't see them dropping him for Burns or Pucovski.

I don't know the schedule but as soon as we spend some time in the field chasing leather they will look for the all rounder for the chop out, particularly if there are any back to back tests. That's when they will pull the trigger on Green and it would be 50/50 on whether Wade or Head make way and I think would be pretty much down to runs scored in the series.

The strong backing of Burns is irrational for mine but hopefully Pucovski has a massive tour game and allows them to save a bit of face on a backflip. The thing that makes the Burns thing strangest to me is that they've dropped him like a hot spud a couple of times when he has gone ok and we haven't had an obvious option. Now he is going like a busted, we have an obvious option and they are digging in publically behind him.

That last paragraph is the worst thing about the national side: The incomprehensible feedback from selectors and coaching staff. Admittedly the latter has improved a quite a bit since the sacking of Pat Howard but how are the up and coming talent supposed to improve without a clear and consistent policy/kpi requirements? Quite a number of promising prospects have been terminally squandered through the mixed messages and poor support.

It's genuinely why I fear for Green and Pucovski: They haven't even played a game yet and already, admittedly only from surface level, it appears they're getting inconsistent feedback
 
If Warner is out I’d be looking at partnering Pucovski with an opener who can show some impetus. I don’t like the Puck-Burns pairing.

As much as I don’t like him much I’d draft Harris in to replace Burns and give him some freedom a la Warner.
I'd go with Maddinson
 
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If Warner is out I’d be looking at partnering Pucovski with an opener who can show some impetus. I don’t like the Puck-Burns pairing.

As much as I don’t like him much I’d draft Harris in to replace Burns and give him some freedom a la Warner.
They aren't going to get rid of Burns if Warner is out. Too much disruption.
 

saj_21

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He was a middle order batsman until a month ago.

Batted 5 in first season 16/17
Batted 4 in his second season 17/18
Since then has batted 3/opener.

so he was a “middle order” player a couple years ago
 
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You know it makes sense
 
Bet they do.
Of course they will, because he’s the most overrated Test bowler to have played for Australia.
Brilliant with the white bowl, inconsistent to the point he can be a liability at times in Test matches.
 
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Of course they will, because he’s the most overrated Test bowler to have played for Australia.
Brilliant with the white bowl, inconsistent to the point he can be a liability at times in Test matches.
I mean i think he is pretty accurately rated by most, a damaging but inconsistent bowler.

244 wickets @ 27 is solid

Almost everyone would rate Hazlewood and Cummins as our two best fast bowlers. I also don't think the selectors are against dropping him from the test team if a better option comes along (see the Ashes). Unfortunately we haven't had many fast bowlers that have been good enough and managed to stay fit for an extended period of time.
 
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