Reborn batter in Ashes frame but big ‘concern’ remains; new Aussie millionaire rises: Talking Pts

Playing what will almost certainly be their last international match on Australian soil, Indian superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have farewelled cricket down under with one final batting masterclass, guiding the tourists towards a comfortable nine-wicket victory at the SCG.

The Indians avoided a dreaded series whitewash courtesy of an unbeaten 168-run partnership between the two former captains, helping Shubman Gill’s side chase the 237-run target with 69 balls to spare. In front a sellout Sydney crowd, Sharma thumped his 33rd ODI hundred while Kohli redeemed himself with a half-century after registering duck in the first two matches against Australia.

Earlier, Australia was bowled out for 236 in 46.4 overs following dreadful collapse of 7-53, with Indian seamer Harshit Rana taking four wickets in a career-best performance.

Attention turns swiftly towards the five-match T20 series between the two nations, which gets underway at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on Wednesday.

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‘AREA OF CONCERN’ FOR ASHES HOPEFUL RENSHAW

Matthew Renshaw remains a candidate to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja during this summer’s Ashes series, but according to former Australian batter Mark Waugh there’s one “area of concern” he’ll need to address first.

The Queenslander struck his maiden ODI fifty during Saturday’s series finale at the SCG, top-scoring for the hosts with a 58-ball 56. He didn’t muster a boundary during his first 32 balls at the crease, but repeatedly rotated the strike and managed to pass fifty in 48 deliveries.

“What I like about Renshaw is he’s confident,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket commentary.

“He backs himself from the get-go, he’s always looking to score rather than defend, he’s not worried about getting out. The range of shots he plays, he’s willing to take a risk or two.”

Former Australian opener David Warner continued: “I really liked him when he played Test cricket. He had a good temperament, knows how to score big, builds an innings, worked on that front foot that used to go across.

“Now it looks like he’s got a nice base and he’s just confident in his game.”

However, Waugh acknowledged that Renshaw’s technique could leave him vulnerable against fast bowlers, specifically when he’s squared up by deliveries outside off stump. Warner added that England’s speedsters could trouble the 29-year-old this summer if he’s selected for the Ashes.

“The only thing that worries me is his technique against the quicks,” Waugh continued.

“He does square up a lot and that back hip comes around and he tends to push at the ball outside the off-stump. If he’s going to play Test match cricket, I think that’s the one area of concern.”

Warner added: “A lot of that has to do with air speed and bowlers who bowl 140km/hr-plus. Unfortunately we just don’t see enough of that at Shield level. When the Aussie players come back, Queensland generally face a lot of the Australian fast bowlers as well and I’ve seen them give him a bit of trouble.”

Renshaw made his Test debut in 2016, averaging 29.31 across his 14 red-ball matches for Australia. He started his summer with a century during Queensland’s Sheffield Shield opener against Tasmania in Brisbane, putting him in contention for a Test recall.

“He’s much-improved since I saw him in India when he came in 2017,” Indian legend Ravi Shastri said in commentary.

“I still think he can play Test match cricket. Just the range of his shots has improved. He seems quietly confident about his own ability.”

Former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe continued: “He’s such a better player now than he was when he first presented.

“He’s playing with a lot more freedom in that not everything hinges on him getting out.”

There is no rest for an in-form cricketer – Renshaw will fly to Brisbane on Sunday to rejoin the Bulls ahead of the Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales beginning on Tuesday, where he will seek to further his hopes of securing an Ashes return.

Asked if he was ready for what might lie ahead, he said he was … for the Shield match, anyway.

“It’s the same cricket ball, just a different colour,” Renshaw said with a smile.

“My feet are feeling really good against the quicks and (against) the spin I’m feeling good. So hopefully I can score some runs in the next Shield game and win a game for Queensland.”

Renshaw was asked whether he would have preferred to play last week’s Shield round rather than the ODI series given the Ashes is less than a month away, but he said the experience of playing against India in a series that drew more than 120,000 to games in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney was invaluable.

“I got to play against the best ODI side in the world,” he said.

“I got to represent my country playing a format I’ve never done before and experience playing in front of full crowds against an unbelievable Indian side in a format I’ve never played international cricket in, so I’m happy to be here.”

‘VITAL’ INJECTION TO INDIAN PACE ATTACK NEEDED

The return of Jasprit Bumrah to Australia for the upcoming T20 series beginning in Canberra on Wednesday is as valuable as adding three different specialists given his vast repertoire.

That is the opinion of Warner, who said the champion bowler is not only invaluable with the ball, but also given his leadership and teaching skills.

“It’s one thing to have Bumrah there with his skills, but Bumrah there as a bowler, he has the smarts to educate these youngsters, which is vital,” Warner told Fox Sports Australia.

“It’s like having a Mitchell Starc in your team, someone who just knows how to nail the new ball and knows how to nail the death.

“They can just keep giving simple messages back to their bowling attack and he’s the captain of the team as well, (so) they’ve all got great respect for him.

“So it’s not just his skills, it’s what he could bring to the table for the team, which I think excites them and lifts them and gives them a good boost.”

Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri has no doubt Australia will see Bumrah, who was brilliant during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last summer, at his best during the five game series.

He said the champion’s control and versatility enabled him to chime in when it matters most for India in T20 cricket and has no doubt his presence will add to India’s confidence.

“What he brings to the table is that he’s the best in the business across all formats,” Shastri told Fox Sports Australia at the SCG.

“He’s particularly useful in the T20 game because it’s four overs (and they) don’t cost much. He gets you wickets as well (and he) can bowl at any stage. You can bowl in public and bowl in the middle over. He can bowl at the death. So he becomes extremely important from India’s point of view.”

While the conditions in Australia will differ from those for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next February and March, Shastri said it is an important series for his nation.

“I think they will be looking for their right combination with just five months to go after this T20 series,” he said.

“They do have matches against South Africa and New Zealand (to come), but it’s limited, so they would like to ideally get the right kind of combination going ahead.

“Of course, in India, there’ll be more emphasis on spin, but otherwise, the batting, you know, which players for which number, they’ll have to start sorting it out right here.”

Shastri said the series, which also includes games at the MCG on Victoria Derby eve, Hobart, on the Gold Coast and at the Gabba, will provide Australian fans with an opportunity to witness the talent of some emerging Indian stars.

“I feel there are lot of young players there in the T20 format who are exciting and Australian crowds will get their first glimpse of them,” Shastri said.

“And the likes of Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma at the top, they are gun T20 players, so it should be an exciting series, because Australia have also got a very strong side.”

BIG BASH HERO’S STOCKS CONTINUE TO RISE

Two years ago, Cooper Connolly announced himself to the cricket world with a career-defining performance in the Big Bash League final, hitting an unbeaten 25 from 11 balls to help the Perth Scorchers win their fourth men’s title.

Overnight, the Scarborough product had gone from an unknown prospect to a household name, and he was dutifully fast-tracked into the national set-up, making his Australian debut in each format across the following two years. However, Connolly couldn’t convert his impressive Big Bash form to the international stage, posting scores of 7*, 4, 3, 0, 13 and 0.

Despite the underwhelming start to his Australian career, the national selectors showed patience with the 22-year-old, picking him for this week’s ODI series against India.

And he well and truly repaid their faith.

Connolly offered a glimpse of his budding potential during the second ODI at Adelaide Oval, with his unbeaten 61 steering Australia towards a tense two-wicket victory. With thousands of screaming Indian fans and millions watching around the world, the composed left-hander rose to the occasion and showed experience beyond his years, calming himself between deliveries by singing along with the venue’s DJ.

“I don’t think I’d got to double digits yet (in ODIs) so it’s always nice to get that breakout innings just to feel that I can play at this level,” Connolly told reporters in Adelaide on Thursday.

“There’s still a lot of cricket to be played (in my career) but it was nice to get my opportunity today.

“I’ve been sitting there watching the boys get it done … but to get the opportunity to showcase what I can do is nice and I’m just looking forward to hopefully playing some more cricket for Australia.”

Following the recent retirements of Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, national selectors will be hoping Connolly can fill one of the gaps in the ODI team’s middle order ahead of the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. However, he also looms as a smokey for the 2027 Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in India courtesy of his skill-set.

Earlier this year, Connolly made a surprise Test debut against Sri Lanka in Galle, a fair indication he will be considered for future tours of the subcontinent — and the recent feats of Matt Kuhnemann have proven left-armed finger spinners can be damaging on India’s dusty decks.

Having a third spin option capable of batting in the top seven would balance the Australian starting XI, bringing Connolly firmly into contention.

“Being around the group has been world-class for me and learning off some of the best players – such as Travis Head and Mitch Marsh – and taking in how they go about it,” Connolly added.

“The last 12 months around the Australian set up has been very important to me and I’ve learned a lot over that period of time.

“I’m still only 22 so there’s going to be a lot more learnings for me along the way but I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”

AUSSIE RISING STARS EYEING HUGE IPL PAY RISE

Following their ODI series triumph, some of Australia’s rising stars could be set for a massive Indian Premier League payday.

No doubt the ten IPL franchises will have kept a watchful eye on India’s white-ball tour down under – Australian players are always hot property during the annual auction, and there’s no better way to spark a bidding war than stepping up against the powerhouse nation.

Fast bowlers have been big-earners in IPL auctions over the years – Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith pocketed seven-figure sums in 2021, while Spencer Johnson recently landed a $1.78 million deal.

And following his impressive white-ball feats, Xavier Bartlett might be set to join them in the millionaire club.

Last year, the Queensland seamer was picked up by the Punjab Kings for a modest $146,000, but after toppling Indian captain Shubman Gill and superstar Virat Kohli in Adelaide on Tuesday, he could be due for a pay rise.

All-rounder Mitchell Owen, who clobbered a 23-ball 36 at Adelaide Oval this week, was signed by the Punjab Kings as an injury replacement for Glenn Maxwell last summer. Having turned heads in the Big Bash League and Major League Cricket, the Tasmanian might also earn a decent bonus in the IPL Auction.

Elsewhere, West Australian young gun Cooper Connolly will have captured India’s attention following his match-winning performance in Adelaide.

Bartlett and Owen will get an opportunity to push their credentials further during the upcoming five-match T20 series against India, along with the likes of seamer Ben Dwarshuis and batter Matthew Short.

‘BAD SIGN’: OUTLIER IN STARC’S AUSSIE RECORD

The SCG has proven an outlier for Mitchell Starc in his otherwise superb ODI record on Australian soil.

During Sunday’s series finale in Sydney, the 35-year-old was far from his best during a wayward opening spell, leaking 20 runs across three overs as India got their run chase off to a blistering start.

He finished with figures of 0-31 from five overs, including four wides.

“He doesn’t look comfortable,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket.

“He’s looking at the footmarks a lot, which is often a bad sign.”

Warner continued: “I don’t think he’s looking for excuses. It’s just pure frustration.”

Starc averages 37.68 with the ball in ODIs in the New South Wales capital, which is considerably higher than his white-ball record on other major cities across the country. In fact, across all formats he has struggled at the SCG.

“That’s an outlier, isn’t it?” former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket commentary.

“Expensive by his standards.”

Waugh suggested that Starc struggled at the SCG due to the venue’s low bounce, which somewhat nullifies his air speed.

Mitchell Starc’s bowling average by Australian venue

18.79 – Adelaide Oval

18.80 – Manuka Oval

22.77 – WACA

24.06 – Perth Stadium

24.50 – Gabba

25.32 – MCG

26.59 – Bellerive Oval

40.71 – SCG

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