Langer declares open season on batting spots

Australia's batting woes have coach Justin Langer declaring positions in the top six for the first Test against India this summer as "very open".

The tourists were saved from a humiliating collapse in the first innings of the first Test against Pakistan earlier this month by the heroics of Usman Khawaja on the final day, who found strong support in debutants Aaron Finch and Travis Head, as well as skipper Tim Paine. But in the second Test, they were bowled out for 145 and 164 to fall to a record 373-run defeat.

The poor returns have Langer conceding there will be spots up for grabs for the Border-Gavaskar series opener, which begins on December 6 at Adelaide Oval.

"When you continue to bat like we are in Australian cricket at the moment it's always open," Langer said.

"The team isn't performing. I think we've had 25 batting collapses in the last three years. There used to be that old saying, 'It's harder to get out of the (Australia Test) team than into the team'.

"I understand people saying you've got to show faith, you've got to pick him and him and him.

"One thing I'm learning very quickly is you're certainly under the spotlight as a selector of the Australian cricket team and that's part of the gig.

"But it's very open because we're not performing."

Australia blooded three players in the UAE – Aaron Finch, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne – and each rookie impressed Langer on their maiden Test tour.

But the efforts of the Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, may well have the coach concerned.

Between them, the Marshes combined for 44 runs in eight innings to have their positions in the team come under fire.

Shaun made 14 runs in four innings, and Langer says it's up to the 35-year-old to return to the form of last summer, when he was Australia's best batter behind suspended skipper Steve Smith.

"You think back to the Ashes when Australia were so dominant in that series, he scored two of the great hundreds," Langer said.

"And also, you fast forward a few months and he got two hundreds in the last five one-day internationals for Australia.

"He's such a good player when he's going but it's completely up to him to keep maintaining that form and make it irresistible for us not to pick him."

And Langer said Mitch's new role as Test vice-captain does not guarantee selection if he is not scoring runs.

"Again, he's such a good player but he's got to perform," he continued. "Every player has to perform, that's just the reality.

"The other thing about Mitch, leading up to the two Test matches he scored the most magnificent hundred (162 in Australia's warm-up match) you've ever seen, he absolutely smacked them to all parts of the ground, but also his concentration in 41-degree heat in Dubai was incredible.

"And he got a hundred in the last Australia A game when he was captaining that.

"We know his talent, we know he's a brilliant bloke around the team – there's not a more popular person in the team.

"So we're very hopeful he finds his focus and starts performing like he would like to and we would like him to."

India Tour of Australia 2018-19

Gillette T20s v India

November 21: The Gabba

November 23: MCG

November 25: SCG

Domain Tests v India

December 6-10: Adelaide Oval

December 14-18: Perth Stadium

December 26-30: MCG

January 3-7: SCG

Gillette ODI Series v India

January 12: SCG (D/N)

January 15: Adelaide Oval (D/N)

January 18: MCG (D/N)