No short-leg fears for Renshaw

Test aspirant Matthew Renshaw has not ruled himself out of returning to the firing line of short leg despite his worrying history of concussion.

Renshaw was struck in the helmet fielding at short leg in Australia's sole tour match in Dubai in September, a blow which caused the 22-year-old to suffer concussion and ruled him out of the game without batting.

The knock-on effect meant Renshaw was short of match practice, having faced only 45 balls in the preceding four-day Australia A tour of India, and was not considered for selection for the two-Test series against Pakistan.

Renshaw has already suffered multiple concussions in his short career as an elite cricketer, including two blows in the 2017 New Year's Test against Pakistan in Sydney where he was struck on the helmet by a bouncer and then hit fielding at short leg two days later.

But asked whether he'd return to the vulnerable fielding position, the Queenslander said he'd do what was asked of him with no qualms.

"I think if I got told to go in there, I'd go in there," Renshaw said on the latest episode of The Unplayable Podcast.

"I took a catch just before I got hit. I'm not too bad in there.

"Whatever the coaches tell me to do, I'll do it. I'm fielding in the slips for Queensland against the spinners and we've got a couple of other guys who can do the job. It just depends on the team that plays and where I'm needed, where I'm best fitted in."

Test great and Fox Cricket commentator Allan Border believes Renshaw's time is up fielding short leg.

"Got to get him out of there," Border said on Fox Cricket while commentating during the UAE Test series last month. "It's a dangerous spot to field and I suggest he's probably served his time there now."

Renshaw laments the tour-match blow as it cost him his spot in the XI after he was parachuted in for the final match of the infamous Test series against South Africa earlier this year.

"It's pretty frustrating and it hurts a lot," Renshaw said.

"You want to be play every game you can for Australia and missing out because you get hit in the head is quite frustrating.

"It's just one of those things in cricket – someone's got to field at short-leg, especially in the UAE.

"I probably should have ducked a bit lower or jumped a bit higher so it got me in the chest."

India Tour of Australia 2018-19

Gillette T20s v India

First T20: November 21, the Gabba

Second T20: November 23, MCG

Third T20: November 25, SCG

Domain Tests v India

First Test: December 6-10, Adelaide Oval

Second Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 3-7, SCG

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First ODI: January 12, SCG (D/N)

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Third ODI: January 18, MCG (D/N)