The spotlight has returned to Steve Smith’s place in Australia’s Twenty20 side following an embarrassing batting collapse on the way to a series victory.
The decision was made last year by Cricket Australia and gives the white-ball captain job security amid another form slump leading into a World Cup.
Usman Khawaja is in line to usurp Marcus Harris while Mitchell Starc hopes a pink ball and green pitch will convince the selectors he should play.
David Boon and England coach Chris Silverwood were the latest from the Ashes circuit to be sidelined due to COVID-19,as Cricket Australia went to great lengths to shield their players from the outbreak in the visitors’ camp.
Mitchell Starc’s on-field response to criticism,particularly from Shane Warne,has been endorsed by Justin Langer,while Marcus Harris was told he will open the batting at the MCG.
Joe Root’s trouble is that working the ball with an open face through the off side is loaded with huge risk in Australia.
On a hot Adelaide Day,Australia was out to sap England’s will by slow degrees. But it was easier said than done.
Long months of isolation have been a sort of extended training period for the sprawling,slow-motion festival that is a summer of Test cricket.
The leg-spinning great didn’t handle criticism well as a player but he doesn’t mind handing it out as a commentator.
The fast bowlers in quarantine had a strong centre-wicket training session on Saturday,and hope a similar build up which resulted in India being dubbed the “Adelaide 36ers” again does the trick.
David Warner’s first appearance for Australia since January lasted one ball,before Josh Inglis conjured the winning runs.