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McDonald backs Test hopefuls to face India

Mentor also believes Australia's incumbent opener is better off down the order

Victoria coach Andrew McDonald has thrown his support behind Test aspirants Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb and suggests Aaron Finch is best suited to the middle order against the red ball.

Australia's selectors are meeting today to considerthe squad for the first Test against India in Adelaide from December 6 and both Harris and Handscomb have mounted strong cases for selection.

Uncapped Harris is the JLT Sheffield Shield's second leading run-scorer with 437 runs at 87.50, headlined by a mammoth unbeaten 250 against NSW at the MCG last month.

Full highlights as Harris hammers 250 not out

The 26-year-old made a vital 67 in the fourth innings for Victoria in their successful run chase against Tasmania this week, the latest knock in a season that has coach McDonald confident his opener is ready for Test cricket.

"He's matured, he knows his game better than previous seasons," McDonald told SEN.

"The way be batted down here (in Hobart) … his batting movements are really repeatable. His decision making has been a lot better this year.

"Against quality fast bowling he can score and put them under extreme pressure."


Handscomb has endured a mixed 12 months in the Baggy Green.

The stylish right-hander, who averages 43 in 11 Tests, was dropped after two Tests in last summer's Ashes series before earning a call-up for the fourth Test on the infamous tour of South Africa.

Unfortunately for Handscomb, his Test comeback resulted in a golden duck and record loss to the Proteas, but he put that disappointment behind him to score four consecutive half-centuries (and a 49 to end the streak) and captain Victoria to the JLT One-Day Cup title at the start of the summer.

Hungry Handscomb's timely hundred

He then posted 123 against the Redbacks in Adelaide Oval in Shield cricket earlier this month and McDonald says he hasn't seen the 27-year-old batting better.

"(Handscomb) got a beautiful hundred against South Australia against a really, really good attack in some pressurised situations and found his way through that," McDonald said.

"He's in as good a form as I've seen him in my time in charge of Victoria.

"He's definitely one to be there in the discussion if not in the top six best batters in the country."

While Harris and Handscomb are Test hopefuls, incumbent Finch is one player thought to be close to a certainty for the first Test.

Finch made his Test debut against Pakistan on the UAE Tour, opening the batting alongside Usman Khawaja and made four scores between 31 and 62 as one of the visitor's best batsmen.

We'll take the game to India: Finch

But if Finch is locked in for the first Test, his batting position in the XI is less certain.

Test captain Tim Paine told cricket.com.au earlier this month that Finch deserves to stay at the top of the order after his efforts in the UAE.

But McDonald believes Finch's best position in four-day cricket is in the middle order, where he has averaged 44.55 over the past four-and-a-half-years when available for Victoria around his national limited-overs commitments.

Finch is set to play in Victoria's Shield clash with Queensland at the Gabba next Tuesday, and where he bats could be determined by what the national selectors have in mind for him, if selected for the opening Test.

"We've probably shown our hand to some degree over the past few years where we've batted Aaron Finch and we think he's best suited in that middle order for Victoria," said McDonald.

"There will no doubt be some conversation around that (his batting position) depending on what the national selectors are going to do and the direction they'll take."

Australia's first Test squad is expected to be named prior to the start of the next Shield round. 

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

Gillette ODI Series v India

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

Second ODI: January 15, Adelaide Oval (D/N)

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