Melbourne, June 20 (IANS) Former Australia batter Adam Voges backed Josh Inglis to bat at No.4 in Australia’s reshaped top order for the upcoming first Test in the Caribbean. The Western Australia (WA) coach believes the wicketkeeper-batter is more than capable of thriving in the top four at Test level, despite limited first-class experience in those positions.

Inglis was confirmed as a definite starter for the opening Test against the West Indies in Barbados next Wednesday, following Cricket Australia’s unusual move of announcing Marnus Labuschagne’s omission five days ahead of the match. The selectors also confirmed that Steven Smith would miss out due to injury.

Inglis and Sam Konstas were named as direct replacements, although the final XI and batting order remain unconfirmed. Konstas is expected to open alongside Usman Khawaja, as selectors aim to establish a stable opening pair for the West Indies tour and the Ashes, following a stretch of 12 Tests with five different combinations.

With Smith expected to return for the second Test in Grenada, it’s likely Cameron Green will stay at No.3, despite recent failures in the World Test Championship final. This could see Inglis slot into the No.4 spot to minimise disruption when Smith returns, with Travis Head firmly settled at No.5.

“Obviously, being a wicketkeeper, you’re generally batting down the order. We did trial Josh up the order a few years ago, batting at three and wicketkeeping, which is always a difficult thing to do,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Voges as saying.

“We did that because we felt technically he’s good enough to play that role and be able to do it. And I think without the burden of having to take the gloves, I think it’s a role he can fill. And I guess if you fast forward to what does the Test team looks like over the course of an Ashes summer, I think these three Tests is a great audition for a number of players, and certainly hopefully for Josh, potentially in that role,” he added.

At 30, Inglis is among the most in-form players globally across formats this year. He scored a century on his Test debut in Sri Lanka, batting at No.5 – his first hundred at that position in first-class cricket, having previously managed just one fifty in five innings there.

His experience at No.3 and No.4 is even more limited: he averaged 12.66 from six innings at No.3 for WA in 2019 and batted only once at No.4, scoring 44 back in 2015. His strongest position remains No.6, where he averages over 50 and has scored four first-class centuries, all while playing as WA’s designated wicketkeeper.

–IANS

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