Fit again Ashton Turner shapes as key man in Australia’s bid for T20 World Cup glory
Australia have a new x-factor in their T20 World Cup campaign now Ashton Turner has shrugged off a chronic shoulder injury, Justin Langer comparing him to Michael Bevan and Jos Buttler.
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Australia’s cricket selectors would have loved to have chosen Ashton Turner for the World Cup earlier this year, and their affection for him remains undiminished.
The longer the 50-over Cup went, the more obvious it was that Turner could have been the man to turn the tide in Australia’s faltering middle-order … if only a chronic shoulder injury hadn’t already taken him out of the picture.
Turner produced a blockbuster one-day knock to clinch one of the great run-chases against India earlier this year that almost snuck him into the ODI World Cup squad, but his inability to bowl or field due to injury cost him – and ultimately, Australia.
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However, off-season surgery on his dodgy right shoulder has been hailed a success and Turner is now set to flourish as one of the key figures in Australian cricket with the World Twenty20 just 12 months away.
Despite being delayed by a pesky finger injury, Turner is on track to return to bowling for the start of the Big Bash League in a month’s time, and getting his handy off-spin and razor-sharp fielding arm back makes him an irresistible triple threat.
Australian coach Justin Langer believes a fully fit Turner can help underpin Australia’s bid to break their drought at T20 World Cups.
“Yeah absolutely. He had surgery in the winter. That’s one of the reasons he wasn’t selected in the World Cup. We felt that as much as we’d like him for the World Cup to be there, it was affecting his throwing a lot and the earlier he could get the surgery done the better,” Langer told The Daily Telegraph.
“He’s had the surgery and now he’s building up and getting stronger all the time. Slowly working his way back into throwing and bowling. As he keeps getting confidence in and strength and physically getting stronger, that’ll be a bonus as well.
“His ability to bowl some off-spin and field with the energy he does is a nice package.
“He hasn’t played a lot of cricket because he’s had a broken finger, but he’s the sort of player we want to get him in and give him some opportunities and some experience because we all believe he’s a player who can play that role for us.”
The highly-rated 26-year-old has only been allowed to face 16 balls in international cricket this summer due to Australia’s top order dominance, but like David Warner, Turner is yet to be dismissed.
Langer and former Test great Adam Gilchrist both liken Turner’s game-changing influence with the bat to England’s short-form king, Jos Buttler.
“He’s lightning fast between the wickets, incredibly athletic in the field and he’s not only fast between the wickets like a Michael Bevan or a Michael Hussey or a MS Dhoni or a Jos Buttler, but he’s also got the power those guys had as well,” said Langer.
“That innings he played in India was literally breathtaking. One of the most exciting things we’ve seen for a long time. He scored 84 off 43. The way he turned that game, the way he was able to finish off the innings was brilliant.”
After Sunday’s farcical abandoned result at the SCG, Australian selectors now face an interesting proposition over team selection for the remaining two matches against Pakistan.
Australia may want to try and give games to fringe squad players Billy Stanlake, Sean Abbott and D’Arcy Short but also want to make winning the series a priority.
An unchanged line-up is favoured for Tuesday’s clash at Manuka Oval.
Originally published as Fit again Ashton Turner shapes as key man in Australia’s bid for T20 World Cup glory