Australia's selectors decided against sending any out-of-form batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to play for the Prime Minister's XI against India in the two-day practice game in Canberra, following the hammering in the Perth Test.
Hosts Australia were handed a 295-run bashing by India in the series opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this week and following the disappointing performance, the pressure is intensifying on the top order ahead of the second Test against India in Adelaide on December 6.
The likes of Labuschagne (2, 3) and Smith (0, 17) struggled against India and many, including former captain Michael Clarke, feel the duo, along with reserve batter Josh Inglis, could benefit from the two-day pink-ball warm-up game. Labuschagne has managed just 245 runs in six Tests in 2024, at an average of 24, with just fifties.
However, the Australian think tank has denied thinking on those lines.
"This was partly because time at home was considered important for the players, and also because the Australian camp do not want to give the Indian brains trust another look at any of their Test batters before the five-match series resumes," according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Head coach Andrew McDonald has also insisted that sending any player for the match in Canberra hasn't "crossed their minds".
"No, that hasn't crossed our minds. We feel that with the long summer ahead, the prep we've got in place – albeit we've extended that by a day in Adelaide – we'll be well prepared, as we were leading into the first Test," McDonald said.
"No, we were thinking about Test one. You always look to get a positive start to the summer -- it's not like you're
"Match one was our primary focus, and you saw that in the way that we prepared players. We gave up on some international games for certain players, we went through Shield, so we felt the preparation this summer was probably more extensive than previous summers.
"We were comfortable, and the preparation is not an excuse for the performance."
The PM's XI usually comprises youngsters. The two-day pink-ball fixture will feature the likes of batters Sam Konstas and Matt Renshaw and pacer Scott Boland.
"The PM's XI match is a great opportunity for up-and-coming players to play alongside some older heads against a super-strong Indian side," Albanese said.
"I'm confident Jack Edwards' PM's XI team will show how to best play these incredibly impressive Indian bowlers, and I'm equally confident that Pat Cummins' Australian team will turn things around in Adelaide," he added.
Inglis and Labuschagne are set to join the team in Adelaide when they reconvene on Monday, but it's likely that the latter will keep his place in the top six, thanks to his strong track record in day-night Tests.
"The key for us is getting back to the way we want to play and the way we know that we can play. We're not going to sit there and say, 'We lost by X amount of runs, what does that mean for the next Test match?'" McDonald said.
"It's about how we want to play, the plans we want to put in place, the execution in and around that, and the personnel to do that. We've got a bit of work to do in terms of coming out of this game, and we'll work through that over the next week.
"I think the gap has come at a good stage – it gives us a bit of space. The boys will go home, get into a bit of work back home, and we'll reconvene next Monday," he added.
