Australia v India series: Joe Burns duck could lead to third Test team shake-up

Joe Burns’ Boxing Day nightmare could have huge ramifications for the Australian top order, with the opener on thin ice.

Joe Burns (R) walks off the MCG after a Boxing Day duck. Picture: Getty

Matthew Wade drove like Michael Schumacher for 10 overs before playing a reckless shot as if he was dressed in Hobart Hurricanes’ purple.

Joe Burns’ car crash of a summer smashed into another brick wall.

Travis Head helped Australia rebuild and as soon as there was a platform walked the plank.

Oddly, India bowled predominantly over the wicket to Head before Jasprit Bumrah went around the wicket and it was all over for the future captain.

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Joe Burns (R) walks off the MCG after a Boxing Day duck. Picture: Getty

Big kid Cameron Green – playing his second Test – was trapped by Test debutant Mohammed Siraj after 12 hard-fought runs.

Green looked just that ... green.

So, who from the top six will make way for David Warner (groin) in the New Year’s Test?

And will it be Wade or Burns opening the batting with Warner?

Coach Justin Langer and captain Tim Paine both hoped the selection dilemma would solve itself at the MCG, and Wade’s possible knee injury might just do that.

Wade twisted awkwardly diving for a ball late in the day and left the field for treatment. But if Wade’s setback is nothing serious then the batting picture will remain pixelated after the first innings of the calendar’s final Test.

Warner and Wade would form the most destructive opening combination in Test cricket.

But that partnership would also deny Australia the left-hand, right-hand combination which coach Justin Langer craves, with Wade and Warner both southpaws.

Burns looked unsettled from ball one of his short stay. Picture: Getty

It would also see Australia roll out its third different opening partnership in four Tests, another cross for a coach who values chemistry at the crease.

The Tasmanian ran aggressively between the wickets and 30 glorious runs came from Wade’s blade before he stepped down the wicket and top-edged Ravi Ashwin.

Burns has now failed to score four times from his past nine innings.

The specialist opener looked unsettled from his first ball meanwhile rookie opener Wade looked special for a short-lived burst.

A public vote would see Burns punted after he again went bust on Boxing Day, suffering his second consecutive duck on the sport’s biggest day.

But Langer is a staunch supporter and that’s important because this isn’t Big Brother.

Langer told News Corp on Thursday that Burns’ courage to bat on with a swollen arm in Adelaide was a critical moment in his career.

“With everything that was going on in his career, he could’ve easily walked off retired hurt,” Langer said.

David Warner was back in the nets this week, lifting hopes he could be fit for the third Test. Picture: Getty

“You know what? He didn’t. I’ve been telling Joey for three months that he needs to relax and go about getting prepared for the first Test.”

Burns never looked comfortable against Indian seamer Jasprit Bumrah, feathering his 10th ball to untidy wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

Former Test opener Chris Rogers said that Bumrah’s unique bowling action – his non-bowling arm points to gully – bamboozled Burns, who felt like the ball was swinging in towards him.

“He got out the very same way in the Australia A game fending away from his body,” Rogers said on radio.

Ricky Ponting said Burns’ front foot was “nowhere near” the line of the ball.

“It says to me that maybe he was just thinking about Bumrah darting one back in there, worried about the lbw ball, just tried to find that one with his hands,” Ponting said on Channel 7.

Head, Wade, Burns and Green. Someone please make some runs, or Langer might just scream.

Originally published as Australia v India series: Joe Burns duck could lead to third Test team shake-up