Sports Updates : Australia’s new-look batting lineup was revealed by Pat Cummins on Tuesday. Steve Smith will bat first and Cameron Green will bat fourth in the team’s first test against the West Indies, which begins on Wednesday at Adelaide Oval.
One of the greatest batters of his generation, Smith was a late contender to take David Warner’s place after the seasoned opener left the game following Australia’s three-match series victory over Pakistan over the New Year.
The 24-year-old Green, who has been a consistent run scorer for Western Australia, can now play his 25th Test at the position as a result of his rise up the order.
Captain Cummins told reporters in Adelaide, “We were pretty open that we thought Cam Green was in our top six batters and really all there was to iron out was the details around the order.”
It wasn’t until after that that we had a meaningful conversation with Smith and discovered how eager he was. It all made sense to place Green in a position that he is familiar with and Smithy in one that he would love to bat in.
In their fourth test of the home summer, Cummins and fellow quicks Josh Hazlewood and Mitch Starc will have plenty of bowling alternatives to relieve some of the burden, with to the inclusion of all-rounders Green and Mitch Marsh in the squad.
The two finest all-rounders for the West Indies, Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers, have chosen to play in lucrative Twenty20 tournaments, hence they are not available for selection.
On Tuesday, captain Kraigg Brathwaite unveiled his squad and said that fast Shamar Joseph would also earn his first cap. Hodge and all-rounder Justin Greaves will debut in the middle order during the test match.
“I’m expecting a lot of fight from the guys, obviously guys relatively new to test cricket and they’ve got to show the world their worth,” Brathwaite said.
Known for their fast bowlers who used to terrorize batsmen on Australia’s hard pitches, the West Indies were once the most dreaded tourists, but they haven’t won in 16 games since their last triumph in Perth in 1997. Australia defeated the West Indies in a two-match series, winning a day-night test by 419 runs at Adelaide in December 2022, the largest test victory in test history. This year’s second test will be a pink ball test in Brisbane, which will begin on January 25.
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