Shane Watson suggested that Cameron Green has the potential to open in Test cricket, believing he has the skills, presenting an opportunity for Australia to include him in the team in the absence of Warner.
As Australia prepares for the upcoming West Indies series, the looming absence of retiring opener David Warner has sparked debates over his replacement. In a surprising suggestion, former Aussie allrounder Shane Watson proposes Cameron Green as a potential Test opener.
Highlighting Green’s promising attributes, Watson emphasized the youngster’s suitability for the opening role, advocating for his inclusion in the team.
“There’s no question in my mind he can [open]. Australia needs to get Cameron Green into the team, and the opportunity that you’ve got right now is for him to open,” Watson said when talking to ESPNCricinfo.
Australia’s consideration of Cameron Green as an opener stemmed from coach Andrew McDonald’s November comments hinting at lineup changes, potentially moving Marnus Labuschagne up and placing Green in the middle order. However, resistance from players like Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh has spotlighted Green’s potential role at the top.
Shane Watson, drawing from his 2009 Ashes experience, sees parallels. He transformed into an opener despite starting in the middle order, citing Simon Katich and Usman Khawaja as examples. Watson also highlighted the liberation opening brought to his game, allowing fearless, aggressive batting from the onset.
Green, yet to bat above No. 6 in Tests, faces a new challenge. Still, the former all-rounder remains optimistic about Green’s adaptability.
“If you’re scoring runs even slightly lower down the order, you’re facing new balls at times whether you come in early or facing a second new ball, so you’re very well equipped to be able to deal with a brand new ball opening the batting. We have seen it a number of times. Uzzy and Simon Katich are great examples,” Watson explained.
“I started to bat in a way that I only ever dreamed of and this was all because I had no fear from ball one. I let go of all of that care and pressure that I had been putting on myself and just took the bowlers on from ball one in every format that I was batting in,” he concluded.
Last Updated on January 4, 2024
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