Australian cricket selection at its lowest ever, says Sourav Ganguly
What's the story?
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly has mocked Steve Waugh after the southpaw posted his team for the final Test match of the series at Sydney to be played on January 3, 2019.
It has to be noted that Australia's batting has looked rather wobbly against the quality pace trio of India, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma. There are changes expected to be made in the Australian playing XI post their 137-run defeat at the MCG.
In case you didn't know...
Sourav Ganguly and Steve Waugh have known to be fierce competitors on the field when they were playing against each other. Sourav Ganguly's India ended Australia's record of 16 wins on a trot in the famous and epic 2001 Test series where the hosts demolished Australia 2-1.
The aggression, confidence and performance of the Indians under Sourav Ganguly ruffled a few feathers including Steve Waugh. After a rather appalling performance at the MCG where the Australian batsmen looked completely out of sorts against the quality Indian bowling attack, 'Dada' didn't hold back when Steve Waugh posted his team for the last Test match on Instagram.
Sourav Ganguly went on to say that Australia' s cricket selection is at it's lowest ever when greats have to post their teams well in advance on social media platforms to guide the current selection committee.
The heart of the matter
The fact that Steve Waugh posting his team for the final Test match at Sydney doesn't call for so much speculation and discussion. But, with India in a commanding position in the Test series with a superlative performance at the MCG, Sourav Ganguly wanted to use the opportunity to vent his feelings on Australia's selection problems and also get one over his old foe Steve Waugh.
Steve Waugh took to Instagram to suggest that Aaron Finch should be dropped and Shaun Marsh should open with Marcus Harris instead. Ganguly feels someone who is not a part of the selection process to suggest is not correct and it is a sign of a team that is going through the worst ever phase.
The former India captain took to Twitter and posted the picture from Steve Waugh’s account where he had suggested the team and wrote, “Australian cricket selection at its lowest ever .. greats have to put teams in their Instagram posts to give direction …”
Steve Waugh feels Travis Head, Australia's leading run-scorer in the series against India, should bat at No. 4 ahead of captain Tim Paine, Labuschagne, and Mitchell Marsh.
Steve Waugh's preferred bowling unit would be Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.
What's next?
The fact that Australia have very few options to chose from their domestic circuit is something which should worry them. Aaron Finch might end up playing yet again at the SCG as there are not enough openers knocking down the door of national selection. The only probable options the selectors could have considered were Joe Burns or Matt Renshaw.
But with all the players busy representing their respective franchises in the Big Bash League (BBL), it would be really tough to pick someone in the Test team against an in-form Indian bowling attack based on some good performances in the BBL 2018.
Keeping that in mind and the fact that Marcus Labuschagne is the only addition to the Australian squad for the last Test match, it makes sense to try the all-rounder in conditions that would suit him. Aaron Finch must be dropped as he has looked way out of form and has lacked the technical chops to open in Test matches.
Steve Waugh's suggestion makes sense as Shaun Marsh or Usman Khawaja can open the innings with Labuschagne in the middle order and the bowling attack can remain unchanged.
India are on the cusp of history. They have retained the Border Gavaskar trophy after a convincing team performance spearheaded by the Man of the Match Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance. They would want to put on one more good team performance that would help them win their first Test series Down Under.
And let's face it, India have looked the better side right through the series and the momentum is definitely on their side. They are on the verge of creating history and they would hope for another batting no-show from Australia so that they can win the Test series 3-1.