Australia’s Test batting order is facing a major reshuffle before next month’s four-match series against New Zealand, with Marnus Labuschagne’s position at No.3 under serious threat and another place in the lower middle order still open.
Travis Head and Cameron Green are expected to retain their places, while the make-up of the remaining line-up could be shaped by the next round of Sheffield Shield matches and Australia’s three-match one-day series against England.
Steve Smith is expected to recover from a neck problem, although he still needs to prove his fitness. Josh Inglis has also forced his way into the discussion after striking a century at Newlands when he replaced Smith at short notice.
Matt Renshaw opened in the final Test in South Africa and could retain that role, although he has previously enjoyed considerable success in the middle order. Alex Carey’s batting position will also affect whether the vacancy is at No.6 or No.7.
The selectors are also assessing options ahead of a demanding schedule that includes a five-Test tour of India from January. Australia has 10 Tests scheduled across little more than three months, amounting to 50 days of cricket in 96 days if every match goes the distance.
Australia’s Test batting contenders
Sam Konstas remains one of the most closely watched alternatives at the top of the order. The 21-year-old made scores of 67, 71, 151 not out and 149 for Australia A and New South Wales at the start of the campaign, before making five and two against Tasmania.
Former Australia captain Mark Taylor has nevertheless placed Konstas “near the top of my list” for a recall. After an overly aggressive first spell in the Test side, the young batter is understood to have adopted a more controlled approach and could put pressure on the selectors with a strong performance against South Australia.
Nathan McSweeney is viewed as a potential future captain but still needs a substantial score to establish his credentials as a leading Test batter. He struggled when asked to open against India, a role regarded as unfamiliar, and is considered more suited to No.3 or the middle order.
McSweeney has made a one-day century and two Sheffield Shield half-centuries this season, but has averaged 33 since the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign.
Queensland left-hander Jack Clayton has been backed publicly by Usman Khawaja and is second on the Shield run-scoring list, with 303 runs at 75.75. The 27-year-old, who usually bats at No.4, has made a century against Victoria and scores of 66 and 37 not out against South Australia, as well as 88 against Western Australia.
Clayton has scored 1,408 runs at 46.93 since the start of the 2024-25 season and can also bowl left-arm spin, strengthening his case as a middle-order option.
Beau Webster’s prospects appear less certain after he struggled with both bat and ball in two Tests in South Africa and was dropped for the match in Cape Town. The 200cm all-rounder could find it harder to return if Green resumes bowling.
Kurtis Patterson, who is 33 and has a Test century to his name, has averaged more than 45 since the start of last season. He has already made a century against Western Australia this summer but cannot afford a failure against South Australia if he is to remain in contention.
Peter Handscomb is a longer shot after failing to pass 39 in six first-class innings this season. The 35-year-old last played Test cricket in 2023, although his record on turning pitches could make him relevant when Australia’s squad is chosen for India.
Travis Head recently highlighted Handscomb and Patterson as examples of experienced first-class replacements within Australia’s strong Test system.
“It’s great that we’ve got a strong Test team. It’s great that that means that we know that our next guys in are hardened first-class cricketers,” Head said. “If you look at the guys that you guys talk about, it’s the Kurtis Pattersons of the world, the Peter Handscombs. I’m going to miss people, but guys that have played a lot of first-class cricket.”
Labuschagne’s position is the most prominent uncertainty. His batting coach has conceded that the incumbent No.3 is likely to be dropped, while three years without a Test century has left him with little margin for error.
A major score at the Gabba, should Labuschagne play, could still make the selectors reconsider. He must also resolve technical questions over which stump to take guard against.
White-ball performances could influence Test selection
Victoria wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper was a surprise member of the South Africa squad after being named the state’s Shield player of the year last summer. He has moved into the opening role and needs a significant score against Western Australia to remain in the Test conversation.
Inglis is among the players who could benefit most from the ODI series against England. His century at Newlands gave him immediate momentum, and a sequence of substantial scores in the one-day matches could make it difficult for selectors to leave him out.
Cooper Connolly also remains part of Australia’s long-term plans. The 23-year-old made 29 and 0 at No.7 in his second Test against South Africa and took a wicket with his left-arm spin, but has yet to score a first-class century and averages 39.4 in 14 matches.
Connolly will miss the next Shield round after being selected for the white-ball squad against England, but could relish the prospect of playing in front of family and friends in the series opener against New Zealand at Perth’s Optus Stadium.
Victoria’s Ollie Peake is another emerging option, although the 20-year-old has made only one half-century and two scores in the 30s for his state this summer. A century against England could move him closer to Test consideration.
New South Wales all-rounder Jack Edwards is also being monitored. The 26-year-old has made a century against Tasmania and taken four wickets against Western Australia this season, having claimed five for 67 against South Africa in an ODI in Johannesburg in September.
With the Shield campaign beginning again on Wednesday and the ODI series against England starting in Perth on Friday, Australia’s contenders have limited time to force their way into a batting order that is still far from settled.
