Mitchell Johnson has predicted a summer of “dramatic change” for the Australian Test team.
The Ashes destroyer has put players under the pump with his explosive swipes at David Warner before the First Test against Pakistan.
The former fast-bowler has now given the senior members of the team more bad news with a suggestion the summer series against Pakistan and the West Indies is the perfect time for changes to be made to the ageing squad.
Debate surrounding the future of the Test XI has been the hottest point of discussion with selectors appearing to be miles away from settling on Warner’s eventual replacement at the top of the Aussie batting order.
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As pointed out by Johnson, with eight members of the expected Aussie team aged 32 or older, Warner’s position is far from the only one needing a succession plan.
Usman Khawaja is 36 while former captain Steve Smith is 34. Smith has already said publicly he has no plans to retire. Mitchell Starc, 33, and Nathan Lyon, 35, are also heading into the final chapters of their career.
“Spots are up for grabs as the Australian Test team prepares to enter a period of dramatic change, with eight of the likely XI to face Pakistan in the first Test at Optus Stadium this week aged 32 or older,” Johnson has written in a column for The West Australian.
“At 29, Marnus Labuschagne is the youngest player in the expected line-up.
“It’s funny remembering back to when I was injured at 30 and trying to get myself back into the team. I was hearing plenty of noise that 30 was too old as a fast bowler and that it was an age when you have peaked or are starting to slide out of your best form.
“It’s the building of the future that Australia must be looking at.”
Johnson has called for selectors to pick young speed demon Lance Morris on the bouncy Perth deck this week.
“This summer is a great opportunity to blood some young or performing players, especially when it’s against two teams in Pakistan and the West Indies who have struggled in Australia for a decent period of time,” Johnson wrote.
“Fast bowler Lance Morris, 25, should be the first of those. With Perth likely to present a fast and bouncy pitch, there would be no better place for the young tearaway to steam in for his Test debut.”
Morris was named in the 14-man squad for the series opener. Cameron Green was among the squad bit is expected to miss out because of Mitchell Marsh’s recent form.
Marsh has even been mentioned as a candidate to replace Warner at the top of the Aussie batting line-up in a move that would allow Australia to play with two all-rounders.
Captain Pat Cummins did not reject the idea when speaking this weekend.
No. 3 batsman Marnus Labuschagne and Test-hopefuls Matt Renshaw, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris are also reportedly being considered to partner Usman Khawaja for the January series against the West Indies.
“It’s a possibility. You’re open to anything really,” Cummins said of Marsh opening the batting at Test level — as he did during the ODI World Cup in India.
“I’ve seen him make that shift in white ball cricket. “He can put the pressure back on the opening bowlers, hit them off their lengths. You never say never but he handled No. 6 in the Ashes pretty impressively.”
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, however, says there’s only one real option that should be considered for the opening.
“If you look at those three guys (Bancroft, Renshaw and Harris), I think it’s quite clear that Bancroft is the one that’s got the runs on the board and I wouldn’t be surprised if (selectors) go that way,” Ponting said on SEN radio.
“If you wind the clock back about six months it might have been a slightly different order than what it is now.
“I think they probably had Harris as the one that would come back in a while ago.
“To me now it sort of feels (there’s) a bit more of a groundswell behind Cameron Bancroft getting first crack.”
Bancroft opened the batting for the Prime Ministers XI against Pakistan where he made 53 runs from 128 deliveries. Harris was alongside him and was sent on his way for 49 runs from 102 deliveries.
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