Cricket: Travis Head may leapfrog Mitchell Marsh to No.4 bastman for deciding Test against Pakistan
AUSTRALIAN Test skipper Tim Paine says team hierarchy has discussed mixing up the batting order for the final Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.
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MITCHELL Marsh could drop down the Test batting order as Australia look to fine-tune their assault on a watershed breakthrough in Asia.
Captain Tim Paine has revealed team hierarchy have discussed shuffling deck chairs in the top six and if a decision is made to change the order it would appear likely one-game star Travis Head might leapfrog Marsh to No.4 for the deciding battle against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.
Paine believes his side will take momentum from their stirring draw in Dubai as Australia chases history.
Not since beating Sri Lanka in 2011 has an Australian team won a Test series in Asia, with failed results against Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and the Sri Lankans in that time.
Matt Renshaw has again been left out, with Marnus Labuschagne getting another chance to nail down his spot.
Marsh’s Test place is safe after a huge Ashes and start to the South African tour earlier this year, as well as promotion to the vice-captaincy, but it would appear team powerbrokers have felt the need to discuss whether No.4 is too high for a batsman averaging 26.86 in Test cricket.
Paine also confirmed Australia remain open to the shock possibility of playing three quicks on a deck that at first viewing was as green as grass, but dropping second spinner Jon Holland for seamer Michael Neser is still almost impossible to imagine.
“We may consider tweaking that (batting order). I know guys had their individual meetings yesterday and all that stuff was discussed. Again we’ll come tomorrow and make a call on the team and batting order probably,” said Paine.
“Looking at that pitch now, if that was in Australia you would be playing three fast bowlers. But with the heat around the next 24 hours I’m sure it’ll change pretty quickly.
Batting coach Graeme Hick threw his support behind the Marsh brothers Mitchell and Shaun after both struggled in the first Test, but it’s clear there are some reservations about whether they’re batting too high.
Coach Justin Langer has already discussed the possibility of Renshaw batting Shaun Marsh’s spot at No.3 in the home summer, and Head presented a strong case on debut to bat higher than No.5.
Australia feel Mitchell Marsh is a natural leader, but one of the reasons why his appointment as vice-captain wasn’t an anointing of a future captain was because there is an emphasis from within that he truly needs to cement his place in Test cricket after 29 matches.
Despite the confidence taken from one of the most extraordinary saves in Test match history, Australia aren’t sitting on their hands.
“(Winning in Asia) would be a massive thing for any Australian side and for this one in particular,” said Paine.
“I touched on it last week that not many people gave us a chance over here, which is a great opportunity for us to prove people wrong and a great thing to keep driving us.
“We’re trying to get better every day, and if we manage to play our best, maybe that is possible.
“But we’ve got to turn up for a really tough match. Last week when we dropped the ball a little bit for a session, the game can be taken away from you really quickly here.”
One section of the batting order which might lock itself in for the summer is the opening pair of Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch if they fire again in the second Test.
So many greenhorns is always going to leave Australia’s underbelly exposed slightly in the middle-order with Steve Smith on the sidelines, but up front selectors believe they can find continuity in Finch and Khawaja.
“Very. Justin’s already spoken about it being an opener himself. A great thing for a team to have is a really strong opening partnership,” said Paine.
Second and deciding Test Pakistan v Australia. 5pm on Fox Cricket from Abu Dhabi
Australia likely: Usman Khawaja, Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland
Pakistan 12-man squad: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Mohammad Abbas, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Yasir Shah
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