Former Australia captain Steve Waugh was taken aback by the omission of left-handed batter Travis Head from the squad for the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against India in Nagpur.
Head, 29, is ranked fourth in the ICC Test batting rankings after scoring 525 runs at an average of 87.5 against the West Indies and South Africa in the home summer. However, for the Nagpur Test, right-handed batter Peter Handscomb replaced Head, confounding many, including Waugh.
"It's difficult to believe we can drop the world's No. 4 Test batsman, who is also our best batsman in the last 12 months and bowls better than average off-spin. Let's wait and see if the Australian selectors are geniuses! #gambling #overanalysis? #waitandsee, "Waugh posted on Instagram.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden, who was commentating on the game, was also perplexed by Head's exclusion. "? I still can't believe it. He was the summer's best player. I know the conditions in Brisbane are completely different, but his 90 there was just so damn good."
"He made it appear flat, which it was not. It was a ferocious green top. But it's his mindset and ability to score quickly, and he's also a good spin player. I'm completely speechless."
Head's exclusion from the Nagpur Test may have been due to his previous struggles in the subcontinent, where he averaged only 21.30. Furthermore, on Australia's tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka last year, Head was dismissed five out of six times by spinners.
Former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin suggested on Fox Sports that Handscomb's better record against spin may have resulted in him getting the nod over Head. "? Peter Handscomb is a well-known spin bowler who has performed admirably here in the past."
"Travis Head has a poor track record in the subcontinent. It won't be his last trip to the subcontinent; I believe he just needs a little more time to adjust to his game in these conditions "?