Australian player ratings from series loss to India
For the first time in history, Australia has lost a home series against India. Here’s how we rated the 13 who donned the baggy green this summer. SERIES RATINGS
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For the first time in history, Australia has lost a home series against India.
And despite the competitiveness of the opening two Tests, it’s fair to say the home side was completely outplayed by their Indian counterparts in a summer in which no Australian scored a century and they were forced to follow-on at home for the first time in 30 years.
There remain enormous question marks over a feeble batting lineup that badly missed the star quality of Steve Smith and David Warner, while cracks also appeared in the much-vaunted bowling attack.
Here’s how we rated the 13 who donned the baggy green this summer.
MARCUS HARRIS – 6
258 runs @ 36.85
A promising start to the young opener’s career, who looks to have locked in his Ashes role. The nuggety left-hander got a start in every innings and hit two important half centuries, including 79 at the SCG in which he seemed destined for a maiden Test ton.
AARON FINCH – 2
97 runs @ 16.16
Was he set up to fail? Finch’s role at the top of the order was subject to much conjecture before the series started – and by the time of his axing for the Sydney Test it was probably decided that in first class cricket Finch is a middle-order batsman. Despite his impressive 50 in Perth, four scores under 11 out of six innings is a disastrous return for an opener. Averaged less than Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.
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USMAN KHAWAJA – 4.5
198 runs @ 28.28
Australia demanded a lot of Khawaja, in the absence of banned stars Steve Smith and David Warner, and things started so brightly when he snared the catch of the summer to dismiss Virat Kohli in Adelaide. Contributed in a big way to Australia’s only win of the series, with his second-innings 72 pushing Australia towards a defendable total. But the rest of his summer was dotted with starts – 20s and 30s – that came to nothing.
MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE – 4
38 runs @ 38
A surprise call-up to play first drop in Sydney, Labuschagne showed enough in his first innings 38 to prompt Test great Ricky Ponting to mark his name down as a certainty for this year’s Ashes tour. No one is expecting a Ponting-esque career for the 24-year-old, but he showed strong determination and application against a willing Indian attack to suggest he’s worth persisting with.
S HAUN MARSH – 2.5
183 runs @ 26.14
It’s a story which has been written a dozen times before, but this feels like the end for Shaun Marsh. Just one half-century and three single figure scores in a series where it was hoped, as a senior player, he would be among Australia’s most dependable batsmen. At 35, Australia need to move on at some point.
TRAVIS HEAD – 5
237 runs @ 33.85
A pass mark for the rising young hopeful in Australia’s middle order, who got starts in every innings and played a valuable rebuilding role with first-innings half centuries in Adelaide and Perth. Was unable to convert for a maiden Test century, which is an area he’ll need to fix. Worryingly, was caught at third man twice in Perth in a sign India did their homework and identified a flaw in his game.
PETER HANDSCOMB – 1.5
105 runs @ 21
Looked all at sea in the first two Tests, to the point where he was dropped for the Boxing Day Test at his hometown MCG. His unique technique came under the microscope, and Australian great Shane Warne spoke for many when he said it simply didn’t hold up to the rigours of Test cricket. Returned in Sydney with a solid 37. Unclear what his long-term prospects are.
TIM PAINE - 6
174 runs @ 24.85
16 catches
Showed himself to be the ideal leader for this rebuilding Australian team, carrying himself with class and good humour in a tough summer. Showed dogged determination with the bat – averaging 24.85, but also soaking up time – and was typically classy with the gloves. But his best work all series probably came from behind the stumps, with his banter caught up on stump mics. “I know he’s your captain but you can’t seriously like him as a bloke?” he asked Murali Vijay of combative Indian skipper Virat Kohli.
PAT CUMMINS - 7
163 runs @ 23.28
14 wickets @ 27.78
The whole-hearted superstar can hold his head high after another impressive series in which he established himself as one of Australia’s elite stars – and nudged ever closer to all-rounder status. The 25-year-old was Australia’s second-highest wickettaker, with 14, and his scalps came at a team-leading average of 27. He also showed serious steel with the bat, and hit a career-best 63 in Melbourne in a series where he spent more time in the middle than Shaun Marsh. Until the final day of the series was washed out, he’d either batted or bowled on every single day.
MITCHELL STARC – 3.5
117 runs @ 23.40
13 wickets @ 34.53
This was a tough series for Australia’s attack spearhead, who came under fire for his wayward bowling, poor body language and inability to get the new ball to swing. Starc finished with 13 wickets, which came at 34.5 runs apiece, but Australia asks a lot of the big left-armer, which is why he’s marked so harshly. Australia’s least economical bowler and while ultimately he wasn’t as bad as Warnie said, Starc is definitely far from his best.
NATHAN LYON – 6
83 runs @ 20.75
21 wickets @ 30.42
Australia’s leading wicket taker produced mighty performances in Adelaide and Perth, taking eight wickets in each match, to lay the marker for the series. But lost the magic during Christmas, and by Boxing Day the heartbeat of the Australian team was a different man. He struggled hugely on an unforgiving pitch in Melbourne, taking one wicket for the match before taking four in a tough slog in Sydney. Has made huge strides with his batting, too.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD - 5
51 runs @ 10.2
13 wickets @ 30.61
Arguably didn’t get the rewards he deserved with the ball, and consistently looked the biggest threat with the new ball. Took scalps in every Indian innings but never finished with more than three. A consistent contributor who isn’t flashy, Hazlewood was Australia’s most economical bowler – going at a miserly 2.61 runs per over.
MITCHELL MARSH - 1
19 runs @ 9.5
Despite going wicketless Marsh bowled well in Melbourne, which was the primary reason why he earned selection over Peter Handscomb. He sent down 26 economical overs to give the fast bowlers a spell. But it was his careless dismissals, and paltry return of 19 runs, which will live long in the memory. No Australian averaged less than his 9.5.
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Originally published as Australian player ratings from series loss to India
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