Australia’s David Warner on Monday urged selectors to stick by his fellow top-order batsman Phil Hughes, saying he’ll come good and when he does he’ll make a big hundred.
While fans of Hughes point to his heavy-scoring domestic summer, the reality is he’s averaging 28.66 in five Tests against Sri Lanka and India following a year out of the side.
Trailing two-nil in the four-match series, Australia captain Michael Clarke will inject himself from No.5 into the top four.
Coach and selector Mickey Arthur has said back-up batsmen Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith are under consideration for Thursday’s third Test in Mohali.
Australia’s top four of Ed Cowan, Warner, Hughes and Shane Watson are all averaging under 30 in the series. Warner has leapt to the defence of Hughes who looks awkward against spin on turning tracks.
“I’m sure if the selectors stick by him he will come good,” Warner said.
“He is the type of player who always puts runs on the board, especially when he scores a hundred he scores a big hundred.
“It’s only a matter of time.
“He is hitting the ball as good as he can in the nets and that’s the most frustrating thing as a cricketer, is hitting the ball as well as you can in the nets then coming out in the middle and not scoring runs.
“Hopefully he gets another chance.”
Hughes may find conditions more to his liking in Mohali where more pace is expected in comparison to the low, slow pitches of Chennai and Hyderabad.
“I haven’t really seen a lot of spin bowling against Hughesy, so I just think it’s more of a time thing and being patient,” Warner said of his fellow left-hander.
“If he keeps working hard on batting time and play with the spin, he will be fantastic I reckon.”
If Hughes holds his spot, he’s likely to drop down to No.5 as Clarke moves to No.3 or No.4.
Clarke (268) tops the runscoring list in the series alongside India captain MS Dhoni.
“It will stabilise us a lot. Instead of losing three wickets we might only lose one wicket and rotate the strike more,” Warner said of Clarke’s new role.
“I expect us to come out here where there is not as much turn and put some serious runs on the board as a top-four unit.”
Arthur was angry when Warner and Hughes were bowled by Ravi Ashwin after playing sweep shots in the second Test. They’d been told to play straight.
“Until they learn the harsh lessons of getting out and possibly losing their place because of it, they’re not going to realise it,” Arthur said.
Warner admitted: “I probably should’ve came down the wicket and tried to get it on the full.”