Brutal phone call from selector Trevor Hohns after ‘sad’ Joe Burns failure

Aussie batsman Joe Burns is mentally cooked, according to test legend Allan Border, after melting against India in front of selectors.

Trevor Hohns on the blower after Joe Burns failed.

Joe Burns is cooked.

Even more brutal than the commentary from Aussie test legend Allan Border was the sight of chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns getting onto the phone immediately after Burns melted for just one run against India in the tour match at the SCG.

He was playing for his career.

His latest failure at the crease has left Aussie selectors with a monster selection crisis while Will Pucovski and David Warner have already been ruled out of the First Test in Adelaide, beginning on Thursday.

Burns was trapped in front, absolutely plum, by a delivery from Mohammed Shami, falling for one from 21 deliveries at the crease.

Trevor Hohns on the blower after Joe Burns failed.

His most recent nine first class scores tell a story of a player who simply cannot be picked to open the batting for Australia: 7, 29, 0, 10, 11, 4, 0, 0, 1.

The disaster was further compounded by the earlier dismissal of Marcus Harris for just five.

Burns on Friday night could only manage a second-ball duck against the Indian attack in Sydney.

Burns had been the last man standing out of the openers, but the sight of him walking back to the pavilion on Sunday showed he is nowhere near mentally up for the fight.

There are too many demons swimming in his head. Too much second-guessing, over-thinking and panicking.

Done.

Aussie legend Border said Burns needs to be overlooked for the First Test.

“That’s hitting halfway up middle stump and he tried to flick it onto the leg side,” Border said on Fox Cricket.

“That’s a ball that should be hit down the ground. That’s where Joe Burns is at with his technique.

“He’s just shot. It’s a sad sight to see a bloke who is just really struggling to find any type of form.”

It was compounded by the sight of Burns walking back to the dressing room through the Members stand past Hohns as he got on the phone.

It is pure speculation, but Aussie cricketers took to social media on Sunday to suggest it is the phone call that has ended Burns’ Test hopes. At the age of 31, there is only a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel.