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Australian players started their practice sessions at the Optus Stadium on Wednesday ahead of their opening Test of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 which will be played from November 22 onwards.
With both sides aiming to keep their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final chances alive, they will have to play out of their skins in order to do that. However, in recent months, several Australian batters have hit an underwhelming patch of form, raising concerns over their survival against a Jasprit Bumrah-led Indian pace attack. Batters Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, and Marnus Labuschange were seen sweating out in the nets on the other hand right-arm seamers Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Mitchell Marsh were seen discussing the plans along with bowling coach Daniel Vettori. Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, the glue of this highly-attacking side, has been dealing with a rough patch of form since the team's ICC World Test Championship title win against India last year.In the new 2023-25 cycle, Smith has scored just 738 runs in 12 matches, averaging 35.14, with a century and four fifties in 24 innings and best score of 110. Except for a century against England in Ashes at Lord's, Smith has not delivered much heroics with the bat. Also, Labuschagne has been slightly worse, scoring 653 runs in 12 matches and 24 innings at an average of 29.68, with a century and five fifties. His best score is 111. Even the swashbuckling opener Travis Head, known to provide some firepower in the middle-order, is averaging just 28.68 in 12 Tests, with just a century and three fifties in 22 innings and best score of 119. Wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey, who has hit top form in recent months, has had a poor Test record since the WTC title win, scoring just 536 runs in 20 innings, averaging 28.21, with four fifties and best score of 98. Additionally, Australia will be missing the experience of David Warner at the top, who retired from international cricket this year, with South Australian batter Nathan McSweeney taking his place. In 34 matches, he has scored 2,252 runs in 67 innings at an average of 38.12, with six centuries and 12 fifties. His best score is 127*. They would also miss the balance provided by all-rounder Cameron Green, who averages 36.81 in his previous seven Tests, in which he has scored 405 runs, with the highest score of 174* against New Zealand. Only opener Usman Khawaja (943 runs in 12 matches, 24 innings, an average of 41.00, a century and five fifties) and Mitchell Marsh (750 runs in 10 matches, 18 innings, an average of 46.87, with a century and six fifties) average above 40 since Australia's maiden WTC triumph last year. Will Australian players, as they have over the years, finally sense the big stage in front of them and suddenly become invincibles? Only time will tell. (ANI)
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