Leg and Off: Should Australia pick Josh Inglis as their opener for BGT 2024-25?
The legendary Greg Shipperd, who is the head coach of New South Wales at the moment, has endorsed - of all people - Josh Inglis as Australia's opener for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India starting next month.
Shipperd is among the most respected voices in Australia, having coached the great Ricky Ponting in his youth. The former feels that, along with 19-year-old prodigy Sam Konstas, Inglis should open for the Kangaroos against India.
"Let's not forget Josh Inglis as well, who I think is probably a smokey in terms of the opening batting spot. I'd have Inglis and Konstas in the conversation as one-two, two-one, and let the Australian selectors mull over those two," said Shipperd (via ESPNcricinfo).
"His performances for Australia have been first-class, and I think they're looking for a style of player at the top of the order, and Inglis may fit that brief. He's a right-handed version of David Warner, in terms of someone who wants to get on with the play and he's got strokes all around the wicket. He's played at the level internationally, and I think he's a well-respected player," he added.
Shipperd's comments come after Inglis did himself no harm by piling up scores of 122, 48, 101 and 26 not out in his first four Sheffield Shield innings this season. However, he has long been an understudy to Alex Carey in Tests.
Carey, for his part, has scored 90, 111 not out, 42 and 123 not out in his first four Shield innings this season, which means that he is untouchable. Moreover, he last starred with a 98 not out for Australia in their famous three-wicket win against New Zealand in March.
While bringing Inglis on as the opener seems to be a bit far-fetched at the moment, Australia can very well tinker with the idea against lesser opponents since India will arrive at their shores packed to the brim with potential.
The visitors will want to recreate their heroics of the 2022-23 series and aim to dishearten the Aussies on their home turf yet again. India, in fact, have won the last four BGTs and are clearly the favorites to win the upcoming edition as well.
What goes against Inglis big-time is the fact that he has never opened in first-class cricket. He has batted at number three on six occasions but averaged a lowly 12. At number four and five, he has spent a total of seven combined innings but scored just one half-century.
In fact, what Shipperd may not have realized is that all of Inglis' seven first-class centuries have come at number six or below. The same has been the case for the couple he peeled off in this campaign for Western Australia as well.
He may feel extremely uncomfortable facing up to the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj with the new ball. And if Australia's previous selection policies are anything to go by, Inglis will be given his preferred position when he does make his debut.
What will happen if Josh Inglis opens the innings for Australia against India?
While it has been established that asking Inglis to make his Test debut against a famed Indian bowling attack at the top of the order might be a bit harsh, what if Australia does decide to give him the Baggy Green?
Shipperd maintains that Inglis is rather like the right-handed version of David Warner who wants to get on with the game and not interrupt its flow. He also has strokes all across the wicket which is bound to irritate the Indians.
Historically, Matthew Hayden and David Warner, two openers who were enforcers, have been thorns in India's flesh, and the same might happen if Inglis is asked to take on the new ball.
This can give Australia a Bazball-like situation in which Inglis and Travis Head take the game head-on. In this scenario, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne will be expected to consolidate their innings and pick runs with ease against the Indians.
Inglis' versatility in limited-overs and Shield cricket of late shows that he can adapt quickly to play the red new cherry against Bumrah and Co. It would also give him the chance to put pressure back on India right away.
However, the big question is if he is ready to take this challenge up or not. Smith and Khawaja opened for Australia the last time they played a Test, and the former has since been asked to move back to his preferred slot in the middle order.
It is increasingly likely that the selectors will pick at least one, if not two new openers for the BGT, and although extreme left-field, Inglis may feature in the list. However, there are more conventional options like Matt Renshaw, Nic Maddinson, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris for the selectors to consider as well.