Melbourne
Chief selector, George Bailey, has confirmed that wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will not be considered for the opening role in the upcoming five-Test home series against India, starting November 22. Despite Inglis’ remarkable form, including four centuries in his last seven Sheffield Shield matches, on Monday Bailey stated that he won’t be placed at the top of the order just yet.
“I’ve spoken to Josh about this. Not in the short term… the form is fantastic, and he could be picked as a pure batter when the opportunity arises,” Bailey said. While Inglis remains a strong candidate for future opportunities, the current competition for the top-order spot is between Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, and Nathan McSweeney.
Bailey emphasized the focus on player performance during the Australia A matches, noting the intense competition to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. Additionally, Inglis is one of the names being considered to captain Australia’s T20I squad in the upcoming series against Pakistan, as regular captain Mitchell Marsh and other key players focus on preparations for the Test series against India.
