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Australia’s Pace Attack Under Scrutiny Amid Changes

Australia’s choice to maintain an unchanged frontline pace attack last summer was somewhat unusual, and selectors are now reevaluating their seam options following the loss of allrounder Cameron Green. The trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood has displayed remarkable durability, featuring in Australia’s last nine Tests dating back to the Ashes tour. Last summer, they benefitted from favorable bowler conditions at home and in New Zealand, with none of the seven matches needing a fifth day. Only three innings required Australia to bowl more than 78 overs, helping them stay fresh throughout the series.

Challenges Against India’s Batting Lineup

As Australia prepares for a challenging five-match series against India over the next seven weeks, concerns have arisen regarding whether Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood can withstand the rigors of the entire series. The depth of Australia’s pace attack is being tested, particularly with several fringe bowlers recovering from injuries. Quick Lance Morris, who has yet to make his Test debut, is expected to return by the end of the month after suffering a quad strain. Additionally, Scott Boland and Michael Neser have recovered from off-season injuries and are set to participate in Australia A’s upcoming red-ball series against India A.

Selectors Prepare for Possible Adjustments

George Bailey, Australia’s chair of selectors, acknowledged the potential need for adjustments during the series. “If you look at the quicks last year, we were certainly prepared that they might not be able to play all the Tests, and they did,” Bailey remarked. “Potentially that might have been an outlier, and again this summer, we’ll be prepared that if we do need to make some adjustments throughout the summer, we are ready to go.”

Increased Workload and Replacement Considerations

With Green sidelined for the entire summer due to a stress fracture in his back, the workload for Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood is expected to rise. Cummins noted, “Someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but hasn’t had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older; I think we will be leaning on him a bit more.”

Mitchell Marsh may be called upon to fill Green’s role, although he has only bowled four overs since suffering a hamstring injury during the IPL. Despite his strong batting performance for Western Australia, Marsh did not bowl in that match.

Potential Replacements for Cameron Green

If selectors seek a like-for-like replacement for Green, Aaron Hardie and Beau Webster are among the contenders. Hardie, who missed the opening Shield round due to a quad injury, is set to return for Western Australia’s next match against Tasmania on October 20. “Even looking at the three quicks that we generally play in Test cricket, they’ve played a lot of Test cricket together where they haven’t had an allrounder as well,” Bailey said.

Workload Management Ahead of the India Series

Australia’s management has been careful in regulating the workloads of their fast bowlers ahead of the series against India. Cummins missed the entire white-ball tour of England to rest his bowling arm and is unlikely to play a Shield game before the India series, opting instead to lead Australia in their ODI series against Pakistan. Hazlewood and Starc are expected to feature in at least one Shield match before facing Pakistan.

Bailey stated, “Pat’s obviously had an individual prep, but if you go through the Test team from the end of last year and their build-up to the first Test this year, everyone’s slightly nuanced.” He also noted that players have to navigate the temptations of franchise cricket, adding, “Pat, Mitch, and Josh have been pretty amazing over how they’ve been able to select which franchise tournaments they play. And they always give themselves good breaks when it’s appropriate as well.”

anirudh