Questions have emerged about whether it was wise to play Scott Boland in the Prime Minister’s XI game against India considering it gave the tourists a free look at the Aussie bowler with the pink ball. Boland is likely to come into Australia’s XI for the second Test in Adelaide after Josh Hazlewood suffered a side injury.
The Aussies have a ready-made replacement in Boland, who has performed well with the pink ball in day-night Tests in the past. The Victorian was picked to play in the PM’s XI game against India on Sunday, but his selection came before Hazlewood’s injury was known.
And questions have now emerged about whether it would have been wiser to withdraw Boland from that match considering it gave India’s Test batters a chance to tune up against him in the same conditions as the second Test. Speaking on SEN radio on Monday, journalist Tom Morris asked: “Did the Australian selectors do the right thing playing Scott Boland against India? Would it have been better for him and Australia to go into this game with India not having seen him with a pink ball?”
Fellow journalist Bharat Sundaresan responded: “That’s a great point and I was thinking about it when I saw Scott Boland bowling to the three top-order batters. It kind of got them used to facing Boland with the pink ball.
“Obviously, it happened so late when Josh Hazlewood was ruled out, but maybe they could have held him back, Scott Boland that is. But I think in today’s day and age, most have played Test cricket against Scott Boland before, it’s not that they don’t know what to expect from him like a young lad they haven’t seen much of at all. Still, it was a glorified net session in which KL Rahul and Yashavsi Jaiswal got a look at Boland, let’s see if it comes in handy in Adelaide.”
Scott Boland unsure whether he’s playing in second Test
Speaking on Saturday, Boland said he still wanted to play in the warm-up match in Canberra because he hadn’t been told whether he’ll be in the Test XI or not. Selectors have also called pacemen Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett into the squad.
Boland has played 10 Tests to date after a remarkable debut against England in the Boxing Day Test against England in 2021. However the 35-year-old hasn’t played for Australia since the Ashes series midway through last year, and feared whether he would ever play another Test.
“I probably expected to play at some stage last summer with seven Tests because of the New Zealand tour as well (in February),” Boland said. “Obviously with those guys (Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc) being so resilient, they don’t miss too many and no one wants to give up their spot at any stage.
“They were so dominant last summer, they weren’t bowling a heap of overs. We were able to win most of those games, so I probably thought maybe the opportunity had passed. I’ve worked really hard during the off-season to get my body in a spot where I’m confident that if I get another chance I’ll be able to perform for Australia again.”
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Meanwhile, Mitch Marsh has declared himself fit to play in the second Test, but there are reports he might be used as a batter only. If he can’t bowl in Adelaide, selectors might use Beau Webster to replace Hazlewood considering his all-round abilities, which would lengthen Australia’s struggling batting order.
with AAP
