Australia’s slow start to their tour of India has been further compounded with news that key batter Matthew Renshaw has picked up a knee injury and is in doubt of featuring during the remainder of the first Test in Nagpur.
Renshaw hurt his knee during the warm-up prior to the second day’s play and has subsequently been sent for scans on the injured area.
The left-hander was a notable absentee as play commenced on Friday, with back-up spinner Ashton Agar taking the field as his replacement.
Renshaw was dismissed for a golden duck on the opening day of the contest as Australia were dismissed for just 177 and a classy innings from India skipper Rohit Sharma has the hosts in the box seat on day two of play.
The decision by selectors to retain Renshaw in Australia’s XI and include right-hander Peter Handscomb ahead of the in-form Travis Head raised some eyebrows, but Australia great Ricky Ponting was not surprised by the choices made.
“The fact that they played Matt Renshaw in Sydney (in the last Test), to me meant that they had probably had other plans in mind for him,” Ponting said on The ICC Review.
“If they’re going to keep him in, they couldn’t really afford to keep Travis Head in either, because they would’ve had five left-handers in their top seven, which probably would’ve played into Ravi Ashwin’s hands. Ashwin loves, as we know, bowling to left-handers.”
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ICC Review
09 Feb 23
Ponting on Australia’s selection for Nagpur Test | ICC Review
Despite Renshaw’s failure with the bat, Ponting believes the left-hander should receive another chance to perform should he prove his fitness prior to the second Test in Delhi.
“I know the reason that the Australian selectors have picked Matt Renshaw is they believe he’s a very good player of spin bowling,” Ponting said.
“I know he was out first ball today. I’ll forgive him of that.”
