Quantcast

Waugh's concerns over top order

Test great tells selectors to settle on top three

Former captain Steve Waugh says it's imperative for Australia's cricket selectors to sort out the misfiring top order.

Uncertainty surrounds who will take the all-important No.3 position in the first Test at the Gabba and Waugh believes the top four will remain a concern until it is settled.

Australia host India at the Gabba in the first of four Tests from December 4-8, with selectors to decide on the fate of veteran opener Chris Rogers, who scored 91 runs from six innings on the recent tour of the UAE, and incumbent first drop Glenn Maxwell.

David Warner's position as opener is secure, with the left-hander ranked the world's No.7 Test batsman.

"There's just a few question marks on who is going to bat where," Waugh said.

"The good thing is we've got a few options and it's obviously different playing in Australia to the UAE.

"But they've got to get that settled. It's very important for the side to have the top three or four settled.

"They need to do that pretty much straight away."

While Michael Clarke this week didn't guarantee Shane Watson would return to the top three for the Test series against India, the skipper was delighted about the strapping former opener's successful comeback from calf and ankle injuries in Australia's T20 loss to South Africa on Wednesday night.

Watson top-scored with a blazing 47, including three sixes, and Clarke said he was unconcerned about the allrounder cautiously opting to run as little as possible between wickets.

"I don't mind, if he's making runs," Clarke said.

"Watto hits the ball pretty clean so, normally, he doesn't run too many twos anyway.

"So if Watto's fully fit, that is a huge advantage for our team.

"Hopefully, he's fully fit for the ODIs and then into the Test series as well."

Former captain Ricky Ponting agreed Watson's return bode well for Australia ahead of the World Cup in February and March and said fans shouldn't worry about the former vice-captain not being fit enough for the showpiece tournament.

"I don't think they'll pick him unless he's 100 per cent fit anyway," Ponting said.

"I don't think you can afford to these days.

"Any little chink in the armour in international cricket or international sport is found out pretty quickly.

"It was his first game in a long time. He was probably looking after himself a little bit to make sure he got through the game.

"But what I do know is that he hit the ball pretty well and, if he hits the ball like that in T20 cricket and one-day cricket during the summer and during the World Cup, then I'm pretty sure he'll find himself in the Australian team."