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Kingston: Australian batting coach Michael Di Venuto has laughed off Stuart Broad’s claim that Australia’s top three is the most “muddled” he’s seen in his lifetime and revealed he hasn’t spoken to Ian Healy since “disappointing” comments the former wicketkeeper made about the country’s batsmen “regressing” during his time in charge with the national side.
Australia might have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-Test series against the West Indies on bowler-friendly Caribbean pitches, but some believe questions remain over elements of the team’s batting unit ahead of this summer’s blockbuster Ashes series.
Broad, the fifth highest wicket-taker in Test history, was asked about the state of Australia’s batting on the Grade Cricketer Podcast this week ahead of the third Test in Kingston.
“I’m not out of place in thinking it’s the most muddled top three in my lifetime,” Broad told hosts Ian Higgins and Sam Perry.
“I’ve grown up with Langer, Hayden, Ponting, Warner, Watson [and] Labuschagne in his first few years was a gun. I think Usman [Khawaja] is struggling. Cameron Green at three? He’s a five or six isn’t he. He’s pushing too hard [at the ball].
“Konstas is just young, learning his way. Those pitches in the Caribbean have been tricky. I imagine he’ll get a run [in the Ashes]. I saw him net at Lord’s in the world Test championship when he didn’t play [and there was] a crunch off the bat. You get a few low scores and you start to question yourself. I think he’s there to stay.
“I can’t see this top three being the same for the Ashes. The Aussie selectors get it right, generally … [but] they can’t be watching from the Caribbean at the minute going ‘yeah, our top three is amazing’.”
Informed about Broad’s comments, Di Venuto said: “Stuart Broad? That’s good. Is he a selector?”
Di Venuto, who made more than 25,000 first-class runs, accepted Australia’s top order had been below its best over the past couple of years but implored people to give the likes of Konstas and Green time to prosper.
Green made a hard-fought half century in Australia’s second Test victory in Grenada, while Konstas was out for 25 and a duck, taking his overall Test average to 18.25 from eight innings.
Ollie Robinson of England celebrates with teammates Stuart Broad and Josh Tongue after dismissing Cameron Green in the 2023 Ashes. Credit: Getty
“I think there is a lot of [Sheffield] Shield cricket leading into that first Ashes Test. Guys in form I dare say will get picked. At the moment, there’s no point sitting down and trying to nut something out when you’re three months away,” Di Venuto said.
“We don’t hide behind the fact that we haven’t functioned as a unit for the last couple of years. Take out the Sri Lanka series where we were outstanding in spinning conditions, it’s been really hard work. We’ve relied on individual brilliance to get us totals. Batting averages have come down and so too the bowling averages. That’s just the way it is.”
Meanwhile, Di Venuto also addressed recent comments made Healy after Australia’s shock world Test championship loss to South Africa.
Sam Konstas speaks with batting coach Michael Di Venuto during an Australia nets session at Galle.Credit: Getty Images
“Australian cricket’s batting head coach and every state batting coach [should be under pressure] because there’s not enough runs being scored around the nation,” Healy said on SEN.
“Michael Di Venuto – a friend of mine who is a good coach and a good man – has held the job since mid-2021. In this time, our national team batting has regressed in performance at Test level. That’s all that’s important to me, the performance.”
In response, Di Venuto said: “It was disappointing, but that’s Heals’ opinion, isn’t it? I can’t really control that.
Asked if he’d spoken to Healy, Di Venuto replied: “No. If he’s so worried about it, he can call me. There’s no issues there. We’re comfortable with where we’re at.
“It’s hard work domestic cricket … [and] now in Test cricket. I think gone are the days in the era that I played in where they’re flat wickets. You had 15 or 20 blokes averaging 50, 60, 80 [or] 100 in domestic cricket and the same in Test cricket.
“The legends that played through that time, they were playing on very good wickets as well. Conditions have changed, balls have changed.
“We’ve got to be patient with these guys. Is [Konstas] good enough? Absolutely he’s good enough.
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“Steve Waugh, one of our greats, took 27 Tests before he got a hundred. We’ve just got to be careful how we judge some people.
“Matthew Hayden is another one. How long did it take Haydos to get used to Test cricket? Now there’s someone who absolutely dominated domestic cricket for years … but it took him a few times to get the hang of Test cricket before he started to dominate Test cricket.
“[It is] tough for people to hang young people after a few Tests, and especially when we’re playing the conditions that we are.”
Meanwhile, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is set to be rested from Australia’s upcoming T20 series against the West Indies. Hazlewood, as expected, will play the third Test in Jamaica.
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