Source: @CurentAffairs via Twitter
With relative ease, Australia dominated England during the 2017/18 Ashes series, handing Joe Root’s team a 4-0 defeat on their home turf. However, since the Baggy Greens reclaimed the urn, the trajectories of the two teams have diverged significantly.
The absence of Steve Smith and David Warner has left Australia vulnerable, as they are missing their top two batsmen. Consequently, the team’s performance across all three formats has declined sharply, even though they were already showing weakness in the 50-over format prior to the duo’s suspension.
A notable gap exists in the Test arena due to Smith and Warner’s absence. Their absence further confirmed the defeat against South Africa, though the Proteas had already held a 2-1 series lead. Pakistan also achieved a decisive victory in the United Arab Emirates, and India has clearly outperformed Tim Paine’s side in terms of batting prowess.
By the time the Ashes commence, the two players are expected to return to the squad, with their suspensions concluding in early 2019 alongside Cameron Bancroft. Smith has dominated as the leading batsman globally for the last two years, although in 2018, Virat Kohli made a compelling case for the top spot by excelling in all formats of the game. With Smith rejoining the lineup, Australia will be positioned to challenge England, currently regarded as underdogs in the cricket betting odds at 11/8 to secure the series victory. The 29-year-old significantly impacted the outcomes in Australia, amassing 687 runs and delivering match-winning contributions in Brisbane and Perth. Although he has a history of batting well in England, his performance can be inconsistent with moving pitches, indicating a preference for the flatter surfaces of Lord’s and The Oval.
Source: @cricbuzz via Twitter
Smith has been the cornerstone of Australia’s successful campaigns, so it comes as no surprise that they’ve encountered difficulties in scoring runs without him in the middle order. Talented players like him are not readily available to step in.
Warner’s return is more uncertain due to the circumstances surrounding his exit and his actions leading up to the ball-tampering incident. Although no one has emerged to claim a permanent spot at the top of the order for the Baggy Greens, it remains unclear whether the veteran left-hander will receive a recall.
During their golden era, Australia had an abundance of batsmen prepared to fill in due to injuries, resulting in players like Mike Hussey and Chris Rogers waiting until their thirties for an opportunity. Names like Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns have come and gone, while Bancroft’s suspension is likely to exclude him when he returns to the fray.
Currently, Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris occupy the openers’ positions. Should both fail to perform against India and beyond, the Baggy Greens may have no choice but to revert to Warner. Despite being a talented player, his unpredictable nature presents a concern for a country eager to keep cricket in the media for positive reasons, rather than the negative press experienced over the previous year.
