BGT 2024-25: Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft or Matt Renshaw who will open for Australia along with Usman Khwaja?
For a long time, Australia were laborious towards finding David Warner’s confirmed opening partner in Test matches. Most of the newcomers were inconsistent with their performances since the retirement of Chris Rogers in 2015. For a nation rewarded with the golden opening pairs like Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden or Mark Taylor and Michael Slater, it was a new challenge.
The comeback of Usman Khawaja with twin centuries in Sydney during the 2021/22 Ashes established the new opening combo. However, Warner’s retirement in the middle of the last Australian summer started a new headache for the selectors.
Curious case of opener Steve Smith and Australia’s poor opening stands
The selection-committee decided to promote Steve Smith to the opening slot. But the experiment didn’t last long. Just 171 runs in eight innings at an average of 28.50 forced the chair of selectors, George Bailey, to drop Smith to his usual number four position. The decision was made on the back of Cameron Green being ruled out of bowling for the entire summer.
“That falls to Patty [Cummins] and myself and around making that final decision. We just felt like as a collective, as in the leadership group, it was best for the team for him to make that shift away from opening,” Head coach Andrew McDonald expressed on ABC Radio.
Two weeks before the start of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Perth, Australia are yet to finalise their opening partnership. One of the reasons behind losing two successive Test series at home against India was their poor opening stands.
During the four Tests of the BGT 2018/19, the home side enjoyed just one century and a solitary half-century opening stand. The 112-run partnership worked in their favour, helping them secure the victory in the Perth Test. Otherwise, all three openers, Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, and Khawaja, failed to provide the team with healthy starts.
The same issue continued when India made a reappearance for BGT 2020/21. In eight innings, the home side had just two opening stands over the 50-run mark. The average between Joe Burns and Matthew Wade was 25 in four innings before Warner returned for the last two games. The highest score for an Australia opening batter in the series was 62 by William Pucovski.
Read More: Where should Steven Smith bat during the 2024-2025 Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, Matt Renshaw among potential openers
When Australia toured England for the Ashes 2023, Harris was their backup opener for the entire series. But he didn’t get a single opportunity. It was Matt Renshaw who spent time as the backup opener for their West Indies and New Zealand series. Both of them have already tasted the international red-ball format.
Marcus Harris has featured in 14 Tests, the last of which came in January 2022. The left-handed Victoria batter has drilled 607 runs at an average of 25.29, shouldering on three half-centuries. His recent scores of 143 and 52 against Tasmania will push the selectors to keep him ahead in the race. The 32-year-old has clubbed 11215 first-class (FC) runs in 301 innings at an average of 39.62, shouldering 29 centuries and 46 half-centuries.
On the other hand, Renshaw has been part of 14 Tests, averaging 29.31 for his 645 runs. However, a century has already come off his blade, along with three half-centuries. His recent first-class record hasn’t been promising with just one fifty in the last 11 innings. Overall, the 28-year-old has grabbed 7254 first-class runs in 210 innings at an average of 37.39, thanks to 21 centuries and 22 half-centuries.
Cameron Bancroft is another name in the mix. The West-Australia opener has played in 10 Tests, the last of which came in August 2019. For his 446 runs, the average of 26.23 isn’t very encouraging, with just three half-centuries by his name.
The right-handed opener is filled with enough experience with 10573 FC runs at an average of 38.87, with 29 centuries and 37 half-centuries. In the last seven first-class innings, Bancroft has only 29 runs, including three ducks at an average of 4.14. Time is slowly running out for him.
Read More: BGT or Ashes: Which is the bigger blockbuster event in contemporary cricket?
Sam Konstas and Nathan McSween
Sam Konstas is a name the Australia selectors could take a gamble on. In the first unofficial Test against India A at Mackay, the right-handed batter managed 0 and 16. However, dropping down at four in the second game perhaps indicates a longer wait for his maiden call-up.
The New South Wales opener is the third leading run-getter in the current Sheffield Shield 2024-25 . The 19-year-old has smacked 302 runs in just four innings at an average of 75.50 with two centuries.
“I do see a lot of that skill level and that poise at the crease, shots on both sides of the wicket, in front of the wicket, behind the wicket. I think he’s got what it takes,” Greg Shipper, the NSW coach, said on Konstas’ potential debut.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed their A-team captain Nathan McSweeney. The 25-year-old has 2213 runs in 33 FC games at an average of 38.82, with six centuries and 12 half-centuries.
There have been discussions of Travis Head potentially opening the batting. The South Australia batter has enjoyed the opening position for his 223 runs in five innings with one 90-run knock. This could open them the option to keep both Green and Mitchell Marsh in the middle order.
The selectors are expected to announce the squad next week. But for now, Harris seems to be the potential candidate to open alongside Khawaja.
Read More: BGT 2024-25, AUS vs IND: Virat Kohli in Australia – Peak excellence with 1352 runs in 13 Tests
