Test squad v Pakistan: Breaking down the five leading contenders for Australian Test batting spots
An exclusive analysis of the five leading contenders to fill the two up-for-grabs spots the Test lineup has confirmed one thing Joe Burns may have long suspected: he’s the unluckiest cricketer in the country.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Cricket’s statistical boffins have declared that on numbers alone, Joe Burns is the unluckiest Test batsman in 100 years.
An exclusive analysis by CricViz of the six batsmen vying for two vacancies in the Australian top six provides selectors some fascinating food for thought as they prepare to pick their side for the first Test at the Gabba.
Not since radio was invented in the 1920s has a batsman from anywhere in the world scored as many Test hundreds for as few opportunities as Burns has been given.
Live stream the Australia v Pakistan Test Series with KAYO SPORTS on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14-day free trial >
Perennially cast aside and not taken to England for the Ashes despite scoring 180 in his last Test, Burns has an impressive ratio of four hundreds in 16 Tests.
Only one man – Englishman Jack Russell in the 1920s – has played so few Tests with as many centuries as Burns.
“You could argue that Burns was unlucky not to go on that Ashes trip because he scored a lot of runs there last year,” said Fox Cricket expert, Andrew Symonds.
“Unfortunately for him (he hasn’t knocked the door down this summer) … but I’m not saying he can’t press for selection, because there’s still (time).”
Whether this will count for anything when the team is picked later this week remains to be seen, with the five contenders, Burns, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Will Pucovski bracing for an old fashioned shootout this week as they form the top six for Australia A in a tour game against Pakistan.
Harris and veteran Khawaja are potentially ahead of Burns in the current pecking order for the chance to be David Warner’s opening partner in Brisbane.
Victorian Harris was badly exposed during the Ashes, but has started the domestic season better than his rivals, while Khawaja has by far the best international record of any of the challengers – only with no current form to hang his hat on.
During the Ashes, Australia axed top order men Cameron Bancroft and Usman Khawaja, and would have chopped Harris if only Burns – a right-hander to combat Stuart Broad – hadn’t been left at home.
The other vacancy for the first Test is at No. 5 – with Head and Pucovski the leading names in the running.
“I’d like to see Pucovski take one of the batting spots … It’s a good series to play these (young) guys in,” said Fox Cricket commentator, Allan Border.
“You’d almost tell him at the start of the series “mate, you’re in, just show us what you can do and don’t be watching over your shoulder for the selectors’ tap.
“He’s done enough to deserve it. It’s not as if you’re just picking someone out of nowhere – he’s scored the runs.
“Marcus Harris is the front-runner (to open), but he’s under pressure.”
CricViz has highlighted that Head has the best record of any Australian since Sandpapergate, but played an alarming number of false shots in England to be dropped for the final Test.
Pucovski is statistically ready for the elevation into the Test ranks, but is the fact many of his runs have come on batter friendly pitches in Melbourne cause for concern?
Australia A goes to battle with Pakistan on Monday, with selectors to announce their first Test team by the end of the week.
THE CONTENDERS
Usman Khawaja
Dropped after the Miracle of Headingley, Khawaja was yet again adjudged to be not up to scratch away from home. However, his record at home is still very solid; in the last three home summers he has 1224 runs, a record that only Steve Smith can beat. His average of 47.07 is a bit more modest but still suggests that anyone coming into the side would have a fair bit of work to do to improve on his record.
Joe Burns
Arguably the most overlooked of Australia’s domestic batsmen, Burns’ record at Test level is very good. Four tons in 16 matches is an excellent ratio. In fact, in Test history only one man (Jack Russell in the 1920s) has played so few Tests with that many centuries. His domestic record has been a little patchy of late (averaging 38.57 in the Shield since the start of last season) but if Justin Langer doesn’t feel comfortable putting Harris or Bancroft in at the top alongside David Warner, you’d think that Burns is the next cab off the rank.
Marcus Harris
It’s been an odd first 12 months in Test cricket for Marcus Harris. 258 runs against India last summer – the most by any Australian – represented a more than solid start to life at this level. However, his next nine innings (spread across the home series against Sri Lanka and the Ashes in England) brought just 127 runs, at a paltry average of just 14.11. The challenge for the selectors is to establish whether the fighting start that Harris showed against the world No. 1s is a truer reflection of his skill and ability than his struggles in England.
Will Pucovski
One of the most exciting young red ball batsmen around, Pucovski has been banging the door down in his short career. A massive 243 against WA last year drew everyone’s attention and he’s backed it up with two more red ball tons since then. His record has perhaps been boosted by playing on some helpful surfaces in Melbourne, a batting average of 39.05 against pace when batting in the top three is rock solid, and you’d expect him to improve. Another season of improvement in the Shield may be the best option, but Pucovski has the numbers to demand selection at this stage.
Travis Head
Another quandary for the selectors. Since Sandpaper-gate, no Australian has made more Test runs than Head, his 854 run haul is better than the chasing pack – though his average of 42.70 is of course dwarfed by Steve Smith’s, but whose isn’t. Head has also made seven 50+ scores, more than anyone else in that time. And yet he seems to be on the chopping block, fighting for his position. Partly this is because he looked so uncomfortable in England (playing 21% false shots across the series, well above the average of 14% in Test cricket).