Replacing David Warner not Australia’s biggest problem

The alarming stats that show that replacing David Warner at the top of the order is not Australia’s biggest problem.

If you haven’t watched Indian Matchmaking on Netflix already, I highly recommend that you do. It’s a rather uncompromising glimpse into the concept of ­arranged marriages, with the volume obviously turned up for the show to compete in the high-stakes reality series genre. But it’s not too far from the truth either.

Firstly, it’ll be quite an eye-opener, as you learn more about this rather unique aspect of Indian culture. At the same time, don’t be surprised if you also end up relating it to, if not finding some common threads with what’s currently happening in Australia in terms of identifying the batting line-up for the first Test against India in Perth next month.

For, everywhere I look, there are experts and everyday fans alike coming up with their own concoction for the make-up of Australia’s top six, like a bunch of Indian uncles and aunties sitting together and matching horoscopes. And it’s not just about identifying the opener who’ll partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. There is no dearth of options and alternatives, ranging from interesting to outlandish.

I might have contributed to it myself, for in my version, Michael Neser bats at No.7 as the fifth specialist bowling option with Marnus Labuschagne opening the batting. But I can’t see the stars or the sun signs aligning in order for that to happen.

From throwing a 19-year-old in Sam Konstas into the mix to sticking with the tried and tested in Marcus Harris or Cam Bancroft, to even handing a Test cap to South Australian captain, Nathan McSweeney, the official matchmakers in this case, George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and Andrew McDonald, are, on paper, spoiled for choices.

Not to forget David Warner adding some characteristic larrikin Aussie flavour to the matchmaking. Is there anyone else in the history of Australian cricket who’s written his own scripts better than Warner? Just on that, it is very pleasing to see his leadership ban finally lifted after six long years. Whatever you think of him, it’s only fitting that he gets to show off his captaincy skills, which those in India have been very impressed with over the years during the IPL, before he brings his cricket career to an end.

Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have been far from their best over the past few seasons Picture: Getty Images

Some might say it’s a pity it couldn’t happen when he was still an active international cricketer. And despite him incredibly throwing his hat back into the ring, let’s just be clear that Warner will stay retired as an Australian cricketer. He will not be returning this summer as a Test opener, like he’s a yesteryear champion at the WWE Royal Rumble.

But for all the understandable hype around the opening spot left vacant by Warner, and most ­recently by Steve Smith, there’s a more holistic run-scoring issue that Australia has to rectify in order to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade. The bottom line is, as the numbers suggest, they just haven’t been scoring enough runs. And they will need to do that to challenge the might of India, who will be desperate to pull off a three-peat this summer.

Yes, the Test pitches in Australia have had a lot more in them for fast bowlers than during the previous decade. But there has been a pretty alarming decline in batting returns for some key batters in recent series on home soil, especially with Smith and Labuschagne, the engine room of the batting line-up.

Usman Khawaja had a lean summer for Australia last season Picture: Getty Images

While much has been made about Labuschagne’s lack of Test centuries in the past 18 months, it’s reflected heavily in the pretty steep drop in his overall batting ­average, which currently stands at 49.56, after having been in the early 60s for a major part of his Test career.

The last time it had dropped below 50 was in November 2019. He averaged 28.25 across five Tests against Pakistan and the West Indies during what was supposed to be an opportunity for the batters to fill up their boots against two largely inexperienced bowling attacks. He looked like the Marnus of old while making 90 in the second Test in Christchurch, but his overall tally of 99 runs across four innings in New Zealand was simply not good enough.

Smith’s Test average, meanwhile, currently sits at 56.97, the first time it’s been 56 or lower since December 2015. The opening ­experiment notwithstanding, Smith’s significant dip in form, purely in terms of making big scores, has been largely responsible for Australia not consistently producing totals that shut the door on the opposition, as used to be the norm when they played at home.

As a result, both Pakistan and the West Indies stayed competitive in matches for longer than many expected them to, and even ended up in positions where they had the home team under immense pressure. Pakistan failed to make the most of potential winning positions at both Melbourne and Sydney, while Shamar Joseph led the West Indies to a famous win at the Gabba.

Since his return on home pitches during the 2019-20 summer, Smith has averaged 50 or more only once – 81 during the 2022–23 battles against the West Indies and South Africa. Across the two summers on either side, the premier batter averaged 36.28, 44.71, 30.50 and 44.85 respectively. That’s reasonably decent for most, but not if you’re Steve Smith.

Even the redoubtable Usman Khawaja, the most consistent Australian batter since his full-time move to open, had a lean run last summer. After dominating run-scoring charts through 2023, the left-hander managed only two half-centuries across seven Tests in Australia and New Zealand.

That’s meant that too often the Aussies have had to rely on the thrilling exploits of Travis Head to bat themselves to fighting totals. Or depend on crisis man, Mitchell Marsh, to bail them out, which he was made to do way too often if you are an Australian cricket fan.

So, while finding the right opener and subsequently the best combination will be paramount, the more pressing concern for Australia is having the key figures in their top four in Smith, Labuschagne and Khawaja in peak form to keep the Indians at bay. A failure to post totals in excess of 350 consistently will simply not do against a power-packed Indian batting line-up, which in addition to Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant also includes Sarfaraz Khan and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who currently sit at No.4 and No.5 in the list for all-time highest first-class averages. And as you’ll learn through watching the Netflix show I so heartily recommend, the eventual success of every matchmaking venture depends on the stars coming together and aligning completely, just like Australia will need their batting superstars to this summer.