Matt Kuhnemann on the difficult conversations behind the Australian spinner’s defection to Tasmania

Less than 18 months ago after winning his first baggy green, Matt Kuhnemann sat down for the toughest conversation of his career – and it triggered a dramatic state switch.

Here’s a trivia question. As speculation mounts over who will open the batting for Australia in Test cricket this summer against India, try to remember who did so when the Aussies last took on that opponent?

It was March last year, in Ahmedabad. David Warner was out of the series with injury and Usman Khawaja was off the field with a leg complaint.

Travis Head had already taken over at the top from Warner. It was late on day four when the tourists were finally about to begin their second innings of a match destined to end as a high-scoring draw.

Steve Smith, filling in as captain for the bereaved Pat Cummins, gestured into the distance at the vast Narendra Modi Stadium. There was Australia’s newest Test opener.

“Usman got injured in that session and I was at deep square leg and Marnus was at cow corner,” recalls Matt Kuhnemann, playing his third Test after being flown over mid-series and leapfrogging Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson to play as Australia’s third frontline tweaker.

Kuhnemann opens the batting for Australia against India last year. Picture: Getty

“Steve Smith was waving his arms and pointing at one of us saying we were opening the batting. We both thought it was us.

“We ran off and then Smudge (Smith) said to me ‘you’ll be opening’ because there were only about four or five overs left in the day. It surprised me a lot, but Marnus talked me up a lot saying I’m a good nightwatchman.”

Kuhnemann, who has a first-class batting average of 12.41, did his job, surviving the six overs until stumps before falling to Ravichandran Ashwin for six the following morning on what was the final day of the series.

“And looking back now, it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done,” Kuhnemann said.

“I’ve done it a couple of times for club cricket but never in a million years did I think I’d open the batting for Australia.

“I do bring it up a couple of times with my mates as a bit of a pisstake but it’s pretty funny.”

Kuhnemann bowls during the second Test in India last year. Picture: Getty

The Aussies haven’t played a men’s Test in Asia since, meaning Kuhnemann realistically hasn’t been in the selection frame given Nathan Lyon’s mortgage over the specialist spin role in the side, and notwithstanding Todd Murphy’s Ashes cameo.

Kuhnemann is a likely tourist for Australia’s two-Test trip to Sri Lanka at the back end of this season, but his chances of going were bolstered significantly by the move he made earlier this year.

Even though he had edged clear of Swepson in the Australian pecking order, Queensland still preferred the leggie for all of last season, and were never likely to pick two spinners in the same Shield XI.

It means that Kuhnemann, 28 on Friday, hasn’t played a first-class match since turning out for Australia A more than a year ago.

Though he had a year to run on his contract with the Bulls, Queensland was comfortable letting Kuhnemann move to Tasmania to advance his career.

Kuhnemann joined Tasmania despite having a year to run on his contract with Queensland. Picture: Supplied

Next week he will line up against his former state when the Tigers take on Victoria and then the Bulls in the one-day cup at Junction Oval.

“At the start I was (nervous to ask for a move) but they were great. They fully understood. Queensland isn’t a great place for spin bowling in general at the Gabba for Shield cricket. So no, they understood,” Kuhnemann said.

“(Assistant coach) Andy Bichel was probably the toughest (to tell). I love him as a coach and as a person. He’s the epitome of a Queenslander. So that was never an easy one. And obviously the players is never easy as well.

“But you get to see them for Big Bash (with the Brisbane Heat) so that makes it a bit easier.”

Kuhnemann sends one down for the Heat. Picture: Getty

The Australian coaching staff supported the move, but they didn’t pressure Kuhnemann to seek greener pastures.

“I think I probably beat them to it. I was really keen,” he said.

“Catching up with them (at a training camp in May) they said it was a great decision, they’re really keen to see how I go down there.”

And with Tasmania’s incumbent spinner Jarrod Freeman on indefinite leave, left-armer Kuhnemann should get a clean run at things to press his case for Sri Lanka, albeit playing in another state not known for its turn.

“I’ve actually really enjoyed bowling (in Tassie). It stays lower the more the game goes on, so I feel like I’m in the game if it’s beating both sides of the bat.

“Something I’ve worked on the last couple of years is bowling stump to stump, similar to subcontinent conditions. Because you don’t get that bounce as you would at the Gabba, I can bowl a little bit faster and just keep attacking the pegs.”

Originally published as Matt Kuhnemann on the difficult conversations behind the Australian spinner’s defection to Tasmania