New beginning for Australia’s T20

They have held the Test champions crown, leading Test rankings for a record 74 months from 2003 to 2009, and they have held the ODI World Cup four times (another record!), but the only trophy that has eluded this champion side is the World Twenty20.

When George Bailey was named the captain of the Australian Twenty20 side for the two T20Is against India recently, there was a sense of shock and astonishment in the cricketing fraternity. How in the world can an Aussie side appoint a player, who hasn’t played a single international match in any format of the game, as the captain of the T20I side? This has never happened in the history of Australian cricket apart from their first Test match in 1877 in which Dave Gregory led the side!

Well, after the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 finals loss to England in West Indies, Australia have had a dismal record in the shortest format of the game as they have won only two out of the nine games played and lost seven. They lost both the T20Is against Pakistan in England in July 2010, lost the one-off match against Sri Lanka at home, drew the two-match series 1-1 at home against England, suffered heavy defeats in both the T20Is against Sri Lanka away and leveled the two match series 1-1 against South Africa in the Safari.
     
The aftermath was a disappointing fifth position behind England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa in the ICC rankings.

After Michael Clarke’s retirement from the shortest format, Cameron White was named the skipper of the side but he disappointed with the bat as well as his captaincy. He scored just 119 runs from six matches at an average of 19.83 and won just two games as captain. He followed it up with an abject performance in the Big Bash League, Australia’s premier domestic T20 tournament, scoring just 55 runs at an average of 7.85.
The need of the hour was a change and the Australian selectors have responded in a bold fashion by injecting freshness into the T20 side keeping in mind the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September later this year.

Bailey, who will lead the T20 side, is a perspicacious personality, a brilliant fielder and a handy hard-hitting middle order batsman. He is currently the captain of Tasmania in the domestic circuit. The reason for his appointment as a leader is his astute thinking which sets him apart from others. He is real captaincy material which can be confirmed from the fact that he has led Tasmania to a Sheffield Shield and a one-day title in the past two years. He also plays for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL).

David Warner, who is the vice-captain of the side, will add to the attacking instincts at the top order with his destructive hitting. He has a strike rate of 141.68 in T20 Internationals.

David Hussey, currently the highest run scorer in combined domestic as well as international T20s with 4185 runs, will add experience to the batting order while the likes of Aaron Finch and Travis Birt will get to learn a lot from this clever veteran. His effective off-spinners in the bowling department will be an added bonus.

Western Australian Shaun Marsh is an excellent prospect and can form a devastating opening pair with Warner. Daniel Christian will lead the all-rounder’s category with his monstrous hitting and clever medium pacers followed by Mitchell Marsh and James Faulkner, who has been called up to the national side on the back of some excellent performances in the BBL.

Victorian Matthew Wade will keep wickets in place of the ageing and out-of-form Brad Haddin adding agility and alacrity to the team. The fast bowling department will be spearheaded by the fast and the furious Brett Lee, who will add aggression as well as experience. Left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg, who makes a sensational comeback to international cricket after nearly four years, will bring the much needed variation in the spin bowling department; he along with Xavier Doherty will form the crux of Australia’s World T20 preparations owing to the spinning conditions in Sri Lanka this year.

So, a new beginning with a balanced side filled with exuberant youngsters and experienced campaigners! And a big job at hand. Yes, to bring home that elusive World T20 trophy which has been missing from their gleaming cabinet.