In their forthcoming three-test series in the Caribbean, both Australia and the West Indies will be focusing on change. Roston Chase will be leading out the hosts for the first time, and the visitors will be fielding a redesigned batting lineup.
After losing to South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) final earlier this month, Pat Cummins implied that Australia was due a top-order reset. The captain stated their lineup against the West Indies indicates they are looking to the future.
Australia will be without injured veteran Steve Smith and dropped Marnus Labuschagne for a series that begins both teams’ new WTC cycle, but they have added Josh Inglis to the lineup and brought in teenager Sam Konstas to open the batting with Usman Khawaja.
Inglis and Konstas have only participated in two Test matches; Inglis batted in the middle order against Sri Lanka earlier this year, while Konstas opened the batting against India in Melbourne and Sydney last season.
With players like Khawaja, Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon all in their mid to late 30s, Australia may lose up to six test regulars to retirement following this year’s Ashes series.
“You look forward to what the next couple of years are going to look like,” Cummins said to reporters when questioned about the alterations ahead of the first game starting in Bridgetown later on Wednesday. I believe a portion of that stems from a desire to include Sam and Josh in the team and play 11.
You begin to consider the possible batting order for the upcoming years. That seems to be a component of the reset. And it goes without saying that your objectives shift somewhat. It’s a bit of a mental reset because we’re beginning at zero. You start over after blocking out the last several years.
Despite facing just five balls and scoring just four runs in the WTC final, Cameron Green has managed to hold onto his position at number three. Cummins stated that he thought the 26-year-old all-rounder would be a long-term option in the spot.
“He had a test match where it obviously didn’t go to plan,” he stated.
“The message is not to look into that too much because I believe he only faced three or four balls. We are quite pleased with his game’s position, and I venture to predict that we’ll have a respectable run at number three.”
As he takes control of a drastically altered West Indies team that placed second bottom in the last WTC cycle, spin-bowling all-rounder Chase, who last participated in a test match in March 2023, will have his job cut out for him.
Chase told reporters, “You can expect positive cricket from us,” after taking over as captain in May from Kraigg Brathwaite.
“We’re looking to play with a bit more flair and bring back that Caribbean style to the game, and we’re looking forward to making the Caribbean nation proud.” It will be up to the men to combine their aggression and patience because test cricket still requires some form of patience.
The last time the two teams faced one another was in January 2024, when West Indies won the second test in Brisbane by an unexpected eight runs, their first test victory over Australia since 2003. The series ended all square.
Chase, “I hope there are some scars,” remarked.
“If they’re still thinking about that match going out there on Wednesday, that would be very good for us – that will be part of the job done for us.”
