IND AUS Nagpur Test: IND vs AUS Test – Australia have sent an SOS of sort to Peter Handscomb with Cameron Green set to miss the 1st Test. Australia coach Andrew McDonald believes Handscomb is the answer to tackle the troica of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in turning tracks. Green who is still recovering from a fractured finger is likely to miss the 1st Test in Nagpur, starting February 9. Handscomb last played for Australia in Test back in 2019, also against India. Follow India vs Australia LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“He’s really important. It’s been well-documented over a period of time that his play against spin is excellent. We feel as though he’s returned probably to what he was producing two or three years ago,” Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said of Handscomb.
IND AUS Nagpur Test: Cameron Green out of 1st Test, Peter Handscomb in line to play first Test to tackle Ashwin-Axar-Jadeja trio, Follow LIVE Updates
Peter Handscomb has been out of favour. However, he is one of the few batters who play spin very well. Since being dropped, Handscomb has done well in Sheffield Shield and other First Class games.
“We see him as an important right-hand option. We have got a lot of left-handers. So he is a very important right-hand option for us. If there were to be any late changes, or Cameron Green doesn’t make that first Test, we feel we have some good options,” Andrew McDonald said.
“Lots of runs in Shield cricket on those slower surfaces as well. He’s able to keep as well, so it gives us every option for Josh [Inglis] not to be there and if anything were to happen to Alex Carey, there’s flexibility there, but also in close fielder as well, bat pad, highly valued when you tour the subcontinent,” he added
IND AUS Nagpur Test: Cameron Green out of 1st Test, Peter Handscomb in line to play first Test to tackle Ashwin-Axar-Jadeja trio, Follow LIVE Updates
Cameron Green out of Nagpur Test? Green is currently part of Australia’s training camp in Sydney for the last two days. He will meet the surgeon with the hope that the bone has healed properly. If not, his future in the series will be in jeopardy.
If Green is unable to bowl then Australia would look to play him as a specialist batsman. The 23-year-old brings balance to Australia’s batting line up and that is why McDonald values his batting over bowling.
“We value his batting first and foremost really, he’s a batter in our top six and we value that, his bowling is a bonus. A very nice bonus,” McDonald said.
Australia Test squad for India tour: Pat Cummins (capt), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
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