Lehmann Focused on Fielding Best Eleven for Chittagong Test
Lehmann Focused on Fielding Best Eleven for Chittagong Test
Tourists Australia learnt it the hard way that Bangladesh weren't going be mere pushovers in their two-Test series as they went down by 20 runs in a thrilling contest. Falling prey to the unpredictable bounce and turn of the Shere-e-Bangla surface, Australia were run over by an all-round Shakib Al Hasan.
While it is no secret that the pitch for the second Test would be similar to the Dhaka track, to suit the strengths of the hosts, coach Darren Lehmann held his cards close to his chest regarding the make-up of his side.
With Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the series following a sore side, Steve O'Keefe earned a call-up to the squad, a clear indication of Australia's mindset - the need for horses for courses. With Pat Cummins in the starting eleven, Jackson Bird remains the only other paceman in the 14-member squad.
With the tourists not going for a like-for-like replacement, the coach justified the move by pointing out the number of overs bowled by the Bangladesh pacers during the opening Test. "The way the wicket was, how many overs did the quicks bowl for them (in the second innings)?" asked Lehmann.
"You are not going to have too many overs bowled by the quicks as the game goes on. We expect the same sort of pitch. And that's fine, it is what you expect here," Lehmann added. Although, Mitchell Swepson is a part of the squad, the call-up to O'Keefe marks him as the frontrunner, if Australia had to play with three spinners and only one pacer, something they haven't tried in years.
"Once we get there we will take a look at the wicket and the conditions and whether we change that or go with one quick or two quicks or three spinners (will be discussed)," Lehmann said. "It really comes down to what we want to set our side up like for the second Test, and the wicket."
Wade and Khawaja concern?
Apart from the bowling combination that the think tank will have to break their heads over, wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade's wavering form will also be a cause of concern. With just nine runs in the first Test and an ordinary show behind the stumps during which he conceded as many as 22 byes, Wade's spot could be under threat. "It is not ruled out with any of the XI really. Of the 14 here, anyone could play," said the 47-year-old Australian.
Peter Handscomb, who is a part-time wicketkeeper, comes into the fray if Australia decide to risk dropping a genuine 'keeper in conditions that are challenging. However, skipper Steven Smith had ruled out those possibilities at the start of the series.
Usman Khawaja was roped in at the expense of Shaun Marsh but he returned underwhelming performances too. However, the coach wasn't too bothered by his form only, stating that the others around him had thrown in failures too. "(The first Test was) disappointing for him (Khawaja) and obviously a few other players were disappointing in the Test match," Lehmann said.
"If we had contributions from everyone we probably would have won the game. "He is doing everything to change his game from here to home. We know he's a very good player at home on those sort of (Australian) wickets. "So we'll just have to wait and see," Lehmann concluded.
With the second Test starting on September 4, Australia have little time to finalise their starting XI. Considering what tourists can expect in Chittagong, the challenge is not just to find the right combination, but also the set of players that can rise up to the occasion and help the visitors draw level.
Tourists Australia learnt it the hard way that Bangladesh weren't going be mere pushovers in their two-Test series as they went down by 20 runs in a thrilling contest. Falling prey to the unpredictable bounce and turn of the Shere-e-Bangla surface, Australia were run over by an all-round Shakib Al Hasan.
While it is no secret that the pitch for the second Test would be similar to the Dhaka track, to suit the strengths of the hosts, coach Darren Lehmann held his cards close to his chest regarding the make-up of his side.
With Josh Hazlewood ruled out of the series following a sore side, Steve O'Keefe earned a call-up to the squad, a clear indication of Australia's mindset - the need for horses for courses. With Pat Cummins in the starting eleven, Jackson Bird remains the only other paceman in the 14-member squad.
With the tourists not going for a like-for-like replacement, the coach justified the move by pointing out the number of overs bowled by the Bangladesh pacers during the opening Test. "The way the wicket was, how many overs did the quicks bowl for them (in the second innings)?" asked Lehmann.
"You are not going to have too many overs bowled by the quicks as the game goes on. We expect the same sort of pitch. And that's fine, it is what you expect here," Lehmann added. Although, Mitchell Swepson is a part of the squad, the call-up to O'Keefe marks him as the frontrunner, if Australia had to play with three spinners and only one pacer, something they haven't tried in years.
"Once we get there we will take a look at the wicket and the conditions and whether we change that or go with one quick or two quicks or three spinners (will be discussed)," Lehmann said. "It really comes down to what we want to set our side up like for the second Test, and the wicket."
Wade and Khawaja concern?
Apart from the bowling combination that the think tank will have to break their heads over, wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade's wavering form will also be a cause of concern. With just nine runs in the first Test and an ordinary show behind the stumps during which he conceded as many as 22 byes, Wade's spot could be under threat. "It is not ruled out with any of the XI really. Of the 14 here, anyone could play," said the 47-year-old Australian.
Peter Handscomb, who is a part-time wicketkeeper, comes into the fray if Australia decide to risk dropping a genuine 'keeper in conditions that are challenging. However, skipper Steven Smith had ruled out those possibilities at the start of the series.
Usman Khawaja was roped in at the expense of Shaun Marsh but he returned underwhelming performances too. However, the coach wasn't too bothered by his form only, stating that the others around him had thrown in failures too. "(The first Test was) disappointing for him (Khawaja) and obviously a few other players were disappointing in the Test match," Lehmann said.
"If we had contributions from everyone we probably would have won the game. "He is doing everything to change his game from here to home. We know he's a very good player at home on those sort of (Australian) wickets. "So we'll just have to wait and see," Lehmann concluded.
With the second Test starting on September 4, Australia have little time to finalise their starting XI. Considering what tourists can expect in Chittagong, the challenge is not just to find the right combination, but also the set of players that can rise up to the occasion and help the visitors draw level.
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