Brad Hogg surprised by Australia Test squad against Pakistan

"With the bowling that Pakistan have got, I just think they’ll be licking their lips", said Hogg.

SYDNEY (Web Desk) – Former Australian spinner, Brad Hogg, said that he was surprised by the selection of Australia cricket team for the Test series against Pakistan on November 21.

The selection of Australia’s batting options for their Test series against Pakistan will have encouraged the visitors, Brad Hogg believes, as per thecricketer.com informed.

The former Australia spinner admitted he was confused by the retention of Cameron Bancroft in the squad, despite the opening batsman being dropped midway through the summer’s Ashes series and struggling since returning to domestic cricket in the Sheffield Shield.

Even Bancroft, speaking before the 14-man party was announced, suggested a position in the squad would be “probably highly unlikely, I would have thought.”

He has made just 57 runs in Australia’s first-class competition this season, with those coming at an average of 9.50. However, he made a dogged 49 for Australia A against Misbah-ul-Haq’s side which, in essence, became a shootout for a berth in Australia’s Test side.

His effort was more than Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Marcus Harris, Will Pucovski and Travis Head made combined as the home side’s batting line-up was dismantled.

Neither Khawaja nor Harris have made the cut, while Pucovski may well have been selected only to withdraw from contention for mental health reasons.

Burns, therefore, seems likely to open the batting, having been left out of Australia’s Ashes squad after making 180 in his most recent Test against Sri Lanka.

“I’m absolutely surprised that [Bancroft has] been picked because he’s had a technical flaw since the Ashes series and I don’t feel as though he’s rectified it and I don’t feel as though he’s spent enough time in the middle in Shield cricket,” Hogg told radio station SEN.

“I think a few others have been hard done by. I think Pucovski would have been in front of him if it wasn’t for the mental issues that he’s pulled himself out with as well. Big call to put Bancroft in.”

He added that he was unconvinced by the decision to recall Burns, citing Harris’ misfortune to miss out, having scored consistent runs in Shield cricket.

“I don’t understand why they’ve gone back to Burns when Burns hasn’t really knocked the house down with a mountain of runs,” Hogg said.

“Harris is in form in Shield cricket, he is scoring runs left, right and centre at Shield level. You pick Australian teams from performances at Shield level and they haven’t done this – I don’t think Joe Burns is ready with the technique.

“With the bowling that Pakistan have got, I just think they’ll be licking their lips with Joe Burns at the top of the order hoping they can get into Steve Smith with a hard new ball.”

While Burns has scored 202 runs at an average of 40.40 this season, Harris has trumped him, with his runs coming at 53.20. He appears to have paid the price, though, for a poor Ashes series. Shaun Marsh and Alex Doolan, both of whom have represented Australia at Test level, have both made more than 400 runs so far in this campaign, while averaging upwards of 60. Both have been overlooked. Nic Maddinson, meanwhile, would have taken part in the Australia A game, only to withdraw for mental health reasons.

TEST SQUADS

Pakistan: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Sr., Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah

Australia : Tim Paine (captain), David Warner, Joe Burns, Cameron Bancroft, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Michael Neser 

FIXTURE

The first Test of the series between Pakistan and Australia will be hosted by Brisbane from November 21-25, while the second day-night Test will be played in Adelaide from November 29-December 3.