Australian batter Matthew Renshaw has declared his game has “come a long way” since he toured India as a 20-year-old as the lingering effects of Cameron Green’s finger injury open the door for him to play the first Test.
Renshaw was recalled to the Australian team for the first time in five years to play the final Test against South Africa in Sydney in January after Green broke his finger at the MCG.
The Queenslander will head to India with the squad this week with thoughts of playing in Nagpur at the front of his mind.
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The left-hander was David Warner’s opening partner when Australia lost a tight series 2-1 in 2017, making two half-centuries along with three single-figure scores.
He returns as a potential middle-order option for selectors, along with Victorian captain Peter Handscomb, both seen as quality batters against the army of spin bowlers the home team is set to deploy.
Green could play as a batter only according to Australian coach Andrew McDonald, with his broken finger not repaired enough for him to bowl.
But Renshaw knows he could have a shot at playing too.
“Obviously, you think about that (potentially playing the first Test) a little bit,” Renshaw said after Brisbane Heat’s BBL win on Sunday night.
“Greeny’s a class player of spin anyway so I don’t know if that’ll affect it too much, whether it’s me or him as a batting option.
“We saw how well he went in Sri Lanka, he’s a great player.
“So I’ve just got to go over there and just prepare as if I’m playing – and if I’m not playing just be a really good 12th man and a good tourist.”
While Warner and Heat and Australian teammate Usman Khawaja talked about feeling tired after a big summer as they go to India, Renshaw said he was “fresher than those guys” and excited for the challenge.
He said he was a different player and person this time around, having rediscovered his best during the last 12 months.
“I feel good because I had success over there and my game has come a long way since then,” the 26-year-old said.
“Definitely the mental side of everything, I’ve grown up a lot so really looking forward to getting back over there and build on what happened six years ago.
“I felt like I had a really good tour, unfortunately we couldn’t win the series, which is the main thing going over there and trying to win that series.”
McDonald confirmed Green would not be able to bowl in the first Test in India but didn’t rule out playing him as a specialists batter.
“Building confidence is the main thing, setting him up to succeed if he was to play in that first Test match, having enough time, that will be the critical question,” he said on Sunday,
“We value his batting first and foremost really. He’s a batter in our top six and we value that. His bowling is a very nice bonus.”