Australian great Ian Healy questions impact of batting coach Michael Di Venuto
The national top order is under fire, with concerns the batting unit has gone backwards under current coaching.
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Australian cricket great Ian Healy has taken aim at national batting coach Michael Di Venuto, claiming the top six has “regressed” under his tutelage.
The West Indies made light work of the Aussie top order again on Thursday, reducing the tourists to 4-93 after bowling them out for 180 on day one.
It follows scores of 212 and 207 in the World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa earlier this month.
Australia dropped the out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne for Sam Konstas, but the teenager has scratched out just eight runs across two innings.
Healy doesn’t like to “put the pump on coaches” but says the Aussies have gone backwards with the bat under Di Venuto.
“I love to put it back onto the players more than coaches usually,” Healy said on SENQ Breakfast.
“But, as I said, Australian cricket’s batting head coach and every state batting coach (should be under pressure) because there’s not enough runs being scored around the nation either.
“Michael Di Venuto – a friend of mine who is a good coach and a good man – has held the job since mid-2021.
“In this time, our national team batting has regressed in performance at Test level, that’s all that’s important to me, the performance.
“I don’t care how you do it or what will make it easier for you – just get it done.”
Konstas in particular has made a jumpy return to Test cricket.
He was dropped twice in the opening over of the second innings before defaulting to his aggressive stride down the wicket approach.
Healy says the Aussies’ look nervous and have seemingly little trust in their technique.
“They’re not making it easy for themselves at all, players have got to deal better with nerves by the sound of it,” Healy said.
“They need to create sound techniques and bat with balance so you can make really sound decisions ball after ball for long periods.
“At the moment, we’re failing many of these points, and the lower order is having to deal with it either recovering the score or losing.
“It’s just too hard at the moment, we’ve got to clear those minds of our top order.”
Originally published as Australian great Ian Healy questions impact of batting coach Michael Di Venuto
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