Test great Ian Healy says Australian selectors should consider the unorthodox move of playing Mitch Marsh as an opening batter in next month’s Test series against India, arguing Travis Head should remain in the middle order.
Who partners Usman Khawaja at the top of the order when the battle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins in Perth on November 22 will be one of the most important calls the selectors have made in recent years.
Worth a look: Test great Ian Healy says Mitch Marsh should be considered for an opening role against India this summer.Credit: Getty
Steve Smith is Khawaja’s incumbent partner, but his questionable form in the role and the quality of India’s attack may mean Australia are best served returning him to No.4, where he’s built a career as one of the game’s greatest stroke makers.
Head, the middle-order slugger, has been touted as a potential opener, first-class cricket officials noting this possibility six weeks ago.
Specialist openers Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw are in the frame, while all-rounder Cameron Green appears no longer an option as he is in doubt for the series because of a back issue.
But former Test wicketkeeper Healy has thrown up Marsh’s name, despite the all-rounder and fill-in ODI skipper having never opened the batting at Test level.
“I think there is a reluctance from Travis to go up, which I would agree with. He is a much more scary proposition when the ball isn’t doing as much,” Healy told SportsBoom.
“He should be able to enjoy middle-order freedom. I feel Cameron Green or Mitch Marsh might have been good options, and we know Marnus [Labuschagne] can do that job, but he is also valuable at No.3. I also like Smith opening the batting, maybe more than he does.”
Australia’s vulnerability at the top was central to its demise on India’s past two Test visits here.
“Now Green has a back injury, the pressure might be off, and Marsh might go out and open, and Smith drops down to four, with Marnus and Head on either side. I am not sure who would bat No.6,” Healy said.
Travis Head: Elevate to the top or stay in the middle order?Credit: AP
While Marsh is a technically sound batsman who has opened the batting on multiple occasions in ODI cricket over the past two years, he averages a modest 30.45 with three centuries in 42 Tests.
This slips to 18.33 in five Tests against India, the most recent of which was at the MCG in 2018. He has stated his preference is to bat in the middle order in Test cricket.
Smith, with a career average of 61.5 at No.4, has averaged a modest 28.5 in eight innings since replacing the retired David Warner at the top midway through last summer. Test great Matthew Hayden has said it would be “crazy” to retain Smith in this role.
Head has batted in the middle order for South Australia in their clash against NSW in Sydney, under the eye of Australia’s selection chairman George Bailey.
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