Fresh from his Big Bash League heroics for the title-winning Perth Scorchers, calls are growing for Ashton Turner to return to the Australian frame – even as captain.
Turner led Perth to back-to-back BBL crowns, and was named man of the match in both his side’s finals as the Scorchers claimed their fifth title on Saturday night.
There’s been just three T20 captains for Australia – with Michael Clarke, George Bailey and Aaron Finch all taking the reins at some point.
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But after the disastrous home T20 World Cup defeat, where Australia failed to progress past the group stage, the time is now to shake up the squad – with Turner considered a must.
“I really believe it’s time for Australia to have another look at him,” journalist Robert Craddock said on ABC’s Offsiders.
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“He’s only played about 18 games for Australia in T20 cricket.
“No 50s at a strike rate of about 80. He hasn’t put the ball between the posts yet.
“But I just think at age 30, you’ve got to accept that some guys aren’t great at 23. They take time to grow into themselves.
“I’d love to see Australia, particularly with the generation sort of fading out, to have another look at Ashton Turner. See what he’s got.”
Finch remains no certainty to play on, after pushing back a retirement call until post-BBL.
And with no international T20 action until August, there’s plenty of time for Finch to make that decision after he opted to retire from one dayers late last year.
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Turner proved to be Perth’s hero all summer as he regularly produced performances to dig his side out of trouble and lead them to victory.
His 53 off just 34 balls in the BBL final dragged Perth back into the contest against the Brisbane Heat before a horror mix up saw him run out.
But instead of blow up, Turner instilled faith in the man behind the mix up, Nick Hobson, in a sign of true leadership.
“Ash is an amazing captain. He gives his players so much belief,” Hobson said after producing the match winning runs.
“When we were sitting there waiting for the decision, he said ‘mate you’re a gun, you’ll get us over the line, you’ll be absolutely fine, hit good shots’. There was no resentment. He’s an amazing leader.”
Fox Cricket’s Adam Gilchrist believes the Scorchers’ impressive record – where they’ve made finals in a whopping eight of 12 BBL seasons, came from the leadership of guys like Turner.
“I find I get goosebumps talking about him,” he said on SEN.
“I know watching him, I love this year a couple of opponents really attacked him verbally and aggressively on the field – not in any untoward manner – but took an approach that they needed to ruffle him up.
“But he did not flinch. He didn’t even look at them!
“It wasn’t in an arrogant manner – it was just his mind on the job he had to do and he had to execute it from a team point of view.
“I just love the way he absolutely signifies what that organisation is about on and off the field.
“(He’s) inspirational. That’s the reason why they do get up – they are all on, they are all in together.”
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Turner has produced an outstanding BBL body of work this summer, averaging a remarkable 42 at an impressive rate.
His 84 not out off just 47 balls against the Sixers – when Perth were reeling at 3-22 with a spot in the BBL final on the line – was the absolute highlight of the 30-year-old skipper’s knocks.
But it’s when he’s come into games and taken the contest away from opponents that has impressed most.
Turner himself admits the middle order role is crucial to any team’s success.
“It’s not so much a rescue mission as it may look from the outside – it’s I’m doing my job,” he said.
“As middle order batters we prepare for an array of situations.
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“It can be to face a new ball, it can be to come in at the 20th over and try and whack something out of the ground – that’s the challenge of middle order batters. That’s why middle orders often are sought after all over the world.
“There’s so many different scenarios we can walk in to.
“On the rare occasion we get exposed early, that’s my job to play my role for the team.”
Turner debuted for Australia in T20 Internationals back in 2017 in Melbourne, but he has been overlooked since his last game in August 2021.
