What Did Australia’s BGT Win Tell About Their Present And Future?
Australia’s comprehensive 3-1 series win over India in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a result that showed the team’s mentality, depth and future potential. Some testing moments were seen, especially from India’s star pacer Jasprit Bumrah and challenging pitch conditions, however, the win raises several questions about Australia’s squad, their immediate future and their long-term plans. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways from the series with a focus on what lies ahead for Australia. How Long Can Usman Khawaja Continue Playing For Australia? At 38, Usman Khawaja’s test future for Australia is now in question. His series against India was a tough one—he managed only 184 runs at an average of 20.44, which was a disappointing return for the opener. Khawaja was struggling against Bumrah, getting out to him six times and his last 24 innings average is just 28.68. However, his captain Pat Cummins feels that Khawaja is still playing well and can continue as long as he’s contributing. However, with his 39th birthday looming during the 2025-26 Ashes, how long can Khawaja continue to hold on to his spot? Performances in tough conditions in Sri Lanka and India may provide him with a temporary reprieve, however, a tour of the West Indies and a World Test Championship Final could well determine his immediate future. Can Australia Accommodate Both Beau Webster And Cameron Green In The Same XI? Beau Webster’s performances at Sydney, have given selectors plenty to think about. He looked the most assured batter on show when things were toughest and can also offer off-spin which adds value to his package. With Cameron Green recovering from back surgery, it is possible both might play in the same side especially with Green set to be used as a batter-only short-term solution. However, how might Australia squeeze both into the one XI? Beyond Nos. 4 and 5, to be taken up by Travis Head and Steven Smith, reshaping the top order to make way for both looks a challenge in itself. So if Green ever returns to top form, being able to include the luxury of keeping both in the same team at least offers further balance to Australia. Will Scott Boland Future Regularly For Australia? Scott Boland’s strong record of 56 wickets at 17.66 has given him a safety, however, a regular spot in the Australian XI by no means is sure. Boland was pretty good in the last two matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Melbourne and Sydney. At 35, Boland’s future depends on managing his knee issues and with Hazlewood and Starc also in the twilight of their careers, Australia could soon need to look to younger quicks to maintain their strength in attack. What Does Australia’s Squad Depth Say About Their Future? Australia has a fine balance of experience and youth. With only two players below 30 in the side for the India series, things are looking bright for the young contingent. Todd Murphy (24) seems likely to be part of the Sri Lanka tour. Sam Konstas (19) did a fine job on debut. Cameron Green (26), Josh Inglis (29) and Beau Webster (31) give the side some excellent future options. While some might say the old core of the team is getting on, Australia’s selectors feel this transition will occur organically. The blend of experience and youth with an ever-changing squad ensures a bright future, as they now look to retain their World Test Championship title while continuing their hegemony in test match cricket. What Does All Of This Mean For Australia’s Forthcoming Tours? The series win over India showed that Australia has the power and flexibility to win in the short term, however, raises big questions about the roles of players like Khawaja, Green and Boland. Decisions made in the next series against Sri Lanka, the West Indies and the Ashes will define Australia’s future. The old guard and the new faces are going to be a perfect blend in defining the team’s test cricket journey in the years to come. Do let us know how does the future look like for Australia in test match cricket? The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Big Blow For Australia As Hazlewood Is Ruled Out Of Scotland T20I’s
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been declared unfit to feature in the upcoming T20I series against Scotland due to a minor calf strain he suffered while training last week. While the injury is not major, Australian selectors have erred on the side of caution in treating Hazlewood’s recovery with care, given the stakes of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India later this year. However, Hazlewood is expected to be fit in time for the T20Is and ODIs against England in September. Riley Meredith Replaces Hazlewood Riley Meredith has been called up to the squad for the T20Is against Scotland in Hazlewood’s stead. Meredith is a tall right-arm fast bowler who came into the limelight due to his quick pace and ability to extract more bounce than most fast bowlers. He last represented Australia in 2021, and so far he has played 1 ODI and 5 T20Is. The tall pacer has 8 wickets in T20Is with an average of 23.50. While Meredith is a natural wicket-taker, his tendency sometimes to be a bit expensive makes his game quite unpredictable. Solid Domestic Form of Meredith While regularly featuring for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, Meredith has also had spells in English domestic cricket. Following a recent spell with Somerset, he performed well in the Vitality T20 Blast, where he took 14 wickets at an average of 22.78, and six wickets in three matches during the Royal London One-Day Cup; he proved to be a potent white-ball bowler. Australia’s Fast Bowling Woes With Hazlewood out, Australia suffered another blow to its fast bowling, as left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson had already been declared out of the tour of the United Kingdom with an injury. Sean Abbott has been drafted as a replacement for him in the squad. Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood Key for Border-Gavaskar Trophy The Australian team was originally getting ready to unleash its three pacemen who are arguably among the world’s best — Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood — during the UK tour. However, Pat Cummins has been rested for the entire tour, and Mitchell Starc found a place only in the ODI series against England. Upcoming Fixtures It will kick off with a T20I series against Scotland in Edinburgh on September 4. Following the commitment against Scotland, the Australians will head to England to play three T20Is and five ODIs. Focus on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy The Australia management will be hoping to field its full-on pace attack in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year, an important test series against reigning champions India. Australia squad for Scotland T20Is Mitchell Marsh (C), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Riley Meredith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
