Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: Michael Clarke backs Cameron Bancroft to open alongside Usman Khawaja

Michael Clarke, the former captain of Australia, has pushed for Bancroft to be included. Bancroft played his final ten Test matches in 2019. Over the past two seasons, the 31-year-old has been in incredible form in the Sheffield Shield, where he led the competition in runs scored. Clarke maintained that consistency and experience ought to work in Bancroft’s benefit.

Next month, India will play Australia in the first match in their Border-Gavaskar Trophy defence. In a five-match Test series against Rohit Sharma’s team, Pat Cummins and company will look to recapture the coveted trophy after seven years.

Following Steve Smith’s brief stay at the top of the order, Usman Khawaja’s possible opening partner is a topic of intrigue in the build-up to the first Test in Perth, which begins on November 22. Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and even the youthful Sam Konstas can now make a claim as the former Australian skipper is expected to return to the No. 4 spot. “Selecting someone for two games is unfair, in my opinion. I have already stated this regarding Sam Konstas.

Michael Clarke stated on Sky’s Big Sports Breakfast, “I think he’s a very talented player,

and I love that he’s started the season very well, but just because you get two hundreds doesn’t mean you jump someone who has scored 12 hundreds in the last four years, like Bancroft or Harris.”

It’s unfair, in my opinion, to pick someone on two games: Michael Clarke, who has been making waves in the early stages of his career, recognised the brilliance of 20-year-old Konstas. The renowned cricket player, however, claimed that veterans like Bancroft and Harris, who have performed effectively over an extended period of time, should be given a better ranking.

“They’ve played first-class cricket for a long time, they’ve earned the right to be next in line,” Clarke stated. He implied that Konstas would soon have his opportunity, especially if Khawaja decides to retire at the conclusion of the series.

Clarke believes that Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, has already chosen Khawaja’s opening batsman for the Test match against India. The former cricket player who is now a broadcaster denied rumours that Bancroft, Harris, and Konstas were trying out for the opening position in the Australia A vs. India A games.

Also Read: ‘Marnus and Uzzie hated me up top’ – Steve Smith on being return as Australia’s Test number four

“I would be very disappointed if I was captain of the Australian cricket team and I didn’t know who was opening the batting right now in that first Test match,” Clarke stated.