New cycle, old questions: Australia's big ‘reset' in the Caribbean

Sydney Morning Herald

6 hours ago

Who will open?
This is not a new conundrum. Since the 2023 Ashes, when David Warner's powers were waning, Australia have struggled to settle on an opening combination. They would certainly love to have that locked in before the Ashes.
Usman Khawaja, who turned 38 late last year, is the oldest player in the squad and the only certainty at the top of the order. Coach Andrew McDonald says he has faith that Khawaja can be there for the Ashes.
Khawaja's outstanding knock of 232 in Sri Lanka came after just one half century in his previous 15 innings. However, pitches in the West Indies will be more low and slow like Galle than Australian venues in the summer, which should suit Khawaja.
A left-field option – albeit unlikely – could be that Australia open with Travis Head and Sam Konstas in the West Indies and move Khawaja down the order. It's something Khawaja would no doubt be open to given his shaky record against high-quality pace bowling of late and the fact he was never a specialist opener to begin with.
The first winds of change came on a warm Thursday afternoon in Barbados via Australia's head selector George Bailey, who confirmed Marnus Labuschagne would be axed from the XI, Steve Smith's finger wouldn't be right for the first Test, and that Konstas and Inglis would play the first match of the tour.
It was no secret that Labuschagne's brief promotion to open in the WTC final was a one-off and Konstas will want to deliver on the hype that has followed him.
There is certainly a lot for a player with a first-class average of 34.89 from 17 matches.
Even one breakthrough century on this tour would be more valuable from a confidence perspective than any number of Shield scores against state attacks.
It would appear likely that Konstas will be given all three Tests to prove himself.
Konstas has already toured Sri Lanka and the UK with the Test squad and is ready for another chance. He will want to make an irresistible case before the Shield season.
The Smith (and Labuschagne) headache
Smith won't feature in the opening Test in Barbados due to an injured finger but remains a chance to return for the second match in Grenada. Australia will have their first proper training session on Saturday in Barbados.
That leaves a hole at No.4, Smith's preferred spot, which Cameron Green could easily fill given he scored a century against New Zealand in that position.
Labuschagne, whose Test average still sits north of 46, had not made a century in his last 30 Test innings. He would have known his chance of staying in the team were slim.
Not even Smith's absence was able to buy Labuschagne one more match. His best chance of a Test recall will be through a mountain of runs in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland.
Inglis' debut Test century in Galle showed he is a player of real promise and is being viewed as the next batter in line. He could very well slot into No.3 but has scored most of his runs in the middle order.
The emergence of all-rounder Beau Webster has also complicated things. Webster's ability to contribute with bat and ball has kept him firmly in the XI, and unless Australia drop a specialist bowler, there may not be room to squeeze in Inglis in a situation where Smith is fit for the second Test.
Two spinners or Boland over Hazlewood?
This is one of the most intriguing calls of the tour. With dry, turning pitches expected, there's a case for playing both Lyon and Kuhnemann in the same Test XI – a tactic Australia last embraced in Sri Lanka.
Lyon is a lock, but Kuhnemann's control and left-arm angle offer variety. If selectors go with two spinners, one of the seamers likely misses out. That brings us to the Hazlewood against Boland debate which has bubbled away for years.
Hazlewood's red-ball record is outstanding, but match figures of 1-85 at Lord's were not what he would have been hoping for.
Boland, meanwhile, hasn't quite replicated his home form overseas – he averages 132.5 with the ball outside of Australia – but offers precision and patience, which could be useful on flat Caribbean pitches that reward accuracy over pace. Hazlewood is likely to get the nod.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc is in line to play his 100th Test in the third match of the series in Kingston, Jamaica. But if he were to sit out a game for whatever reason, bringing up his 100th Test in the opening Ashes Test on home soil would be fitting for the stalwart of this Australian side.
How strong will the West Indies be?
Due to scheduling and COVID-19, Australia haven't played a Test in the West Indies since 2015.
The XI for the second and final Test of that series in Kingston was: Warner, Shaun Marsh, Smith, Michael Clarke (c), Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, plus the trio of Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon.
Since then, the West Indies have won 21 of 76 Tests. At home, their record is slightly better (32 per cent), but still inconsistent.
The West Indies did win the last Test they played against Australia at the Gabba in early 2024, thanks to a career-defining bowling performance from Shamar Joseph.
Just the one win from nine Tests since then – it came against Bangladesh – doesn't leave a lot of hope for the locals.
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Even so, this isn't a series the visitors can afford to take lightly. The West Indies will see the initial absence of Smith, uncertainty at the top of the order, and potential experimentation with the ball as an opportunity to land a surprise win or two.
All eyes on England vs India
Overshadowing Australia's Caribbean tour, at least from a global perspective, is the five-Test blockbuster between England and India, which begins on Friday at Headingley.
Australia will certainly be keeping one eye on the series given their next Test opponent is England in November.