Australia are balancing the need to keep a stable batting lineup ahead of the Ashes and the urge to make changes to become competitive in the series against India.
No.3 batsman Phil Hughes, with 25 runs in the first two Tests of the four-match series, would appear the most likely player to feel the axe for the third Test in Mohali from March 14.
Skipper and selector Michael Clarke has confirmed he will move from No.5 into the top four, where Australia’s batsmen have so far averaged less than 30 in the series.
South Australian left-hander Hughes celebrated his return to the Test side after a year-long absence by hitting 233 runs at 46.60 in the home series against Sri Lanka in January.
But while the 24-year-old’s technical adjustments have helped him improve his play against pace bowling, his awkward attempts to combat India’s spinners on turning pitches have been fruitless.
Australian coach and selector Mickey Arthur says the tourists would be silly not to look at back-up batsmen Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja — who have played 11 Tests between them — as options for Mohali.
But he says the enormous difference in conditions between India’s bunsen-burner pitches and what England will offer in July makes long-term planning a balancing act.
“It (form in India) is probably not that fair a barometer,” Arthur says.
“I was pretty scared when I looked at the schedule because we’d been building a top six (batting lineup) and a team.
“We were nearly the finished article, then we lose 300 Test caps. In my thinking, Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey were coming to the Ashes.
“We thought we had experience, some good young players and it was the perfect blend. We then lose both those players (to retirement).
“Then I thought we’ve got to go to India and, on every tour to India I’ve been on, there’s been casualties.
“We don’t want those casualties going into the Ashes because we’ve got to back what we think are our best players.
“We’ve got to keep the team as stable as we possibly can. We can’t go into the Ashes thinking what’s our best top six.
“We can’t be using the first couple of games as a trial. We need to be clear in our mind as to who those players are.
“I was clear in my mind but I’ll talk to you again after the next two Tests.”
