Australia’s chief selector, George Bailey, has ruled out Josh Inglis as a contender for the opening batting position for the five-match home Test series against India, despite his impressive domestic performances.
Inglis, 29, has been in strong form recently, scoring four centuries in seven outings in the Sheffield Shield, sparking some calls for him to be considered as an opener. However, Bailey made it clear that selectors do not view Inglis as a candidate for the top of the order, instead preferring him in his typical middle-order role.
“Not in the short-term. I don’t think that he’s someone we would be looking to place at the top of the order,” Bailey told the reporters on Monday. “There’s no doubt that his form is really fantastic at the moment ⦠the ability to jump back into domestic cricket and dominate has been fantastic.”
Bailey acknowledged that Inglis’s recent performances could make him a viable option in future series but confirmed that he’s not being considered for the opener role this summer. “If the right opportunity opened up throughout the summer, in the spots where we think he’s most capable of performing, I think he’d be firmly in that conversation as well,” Bailey added.
With the first Test against India set for November 22, three primary candidates remain in contention for the spot next to Usman Khawaja at the top of the order: Sam Konstas, Marcus Harris, and Cameron Bancroft, each of whom will have a chance to prove themselves in upcoming Australia A matches.
Bailey stressed that selectors are looking for consistent performance. “We’ve got three players who open the batting for their state and one player who bats at three,” Bailey said. “We’re looking for performance. The standard of cricket is pretty high, so that’s always a great opportunity seeing how players interact in a different team to what they’re used to.”
The Australia A squad matches this week will be closely watched by selectors as they seek the right candidate for the Baggy Green in what promises to be a fiercely contested series against India.
