5 batsmen who were unlucky to miss out on the Australian Test squad

With the three-game T20 international series between Australia and India having concluded in Sydney on Sunday, attention turns to the much anticipated Border-Gavaskar Test series.

The depleted state of Australian cricket in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal neutralises the home ground advantage for the hosts, with India sensing the chance to claim a historic series victory Down Under.

India come to Australia as the number one ranked side in the Test format, with Virat Kohli's men likely to trouble an Australian side ranked 5th in the world, and missing Steve Smith and David Warner.

Australia last week named the following 14-man squad for the first two Tests of the series, which commences on December 6 in Adelaide.

Australia Test Squad: Aaron Finch, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh (vc), Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (c, wk), Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain, Peter Siddle.

Whilst the squad is similar to the one that recently toured the UAE for a two-Test series against Pakistan, Marcus Harris, Peter Handscomb, and Chris Tremain are all notable inclusions.

Aaron Finch seems likely to open the batting alongside Harris, meaning Usman Khawaja will likely drop back to his typical number 3 position, having opened in the recent Pakistan series.

Both Shaun and Mitchell Marsh are likely to take places in the middle order, having found form on home soil after a disappointing Test year away from home, whilst captain Tim Paine will take the gloves and bat in his usual number 7 position.

Tremain and Peter Siddle appear to be included as reserve bowlers to Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon, whilst Handscomb and Travis Head look set to compete for the final place in the middle-order.

With the bowling lineup settled, talk in the lead up to the squad announcement surrounded the makeup of the top 6, with many names thrown around as potential candidates.

So here are 5 batsmen who can count themselves unlucky not to be donning the baggy green in Adelaide.

Matt Renshaw

Renshaw running the drinks in Dubai

Renshaw was unfortunate to miss out on the recent tour of the UAE, carrying the drinks after suffering a head knock in the tour game.

The young Queenslander averages 33.47 from his 11 Tests to date, with the 22-year-old having already compiled over 3000 first-class runs with 10 hundreds. Renshaw was also the highest run-scorer in last summer's Sheffield Shield, with 804 runs, at an average of 44.66.

Counting against Renshaw, however, was his underwhelming start to the Sheffield Shield season, scoring just 140 runs at 23.33, with a highest score of 89.

However, given misfortune rather than form saw him miss Australia's most recent Test assignment, the left-hander must have been in selection calculations.

In a time where Australian cricket is rebuilding, many have advocated including youth, with Renshaw considered amongst the best young batting talent in the Australian first-class system.

Joe Burns

Burns batting for Queensland

Burns has carved out an impressive first-class career, averaging 40.03, and representing Australia in 14 Test matches.

Called upon in Johannesburg for the final Test of the fateful South Africa series, the Queenslander's inclusion came on the back of an impressive domestic summer, where he scored 725 runs at 55.76 in the Sheffield Shield.

However, after scores of 4 and 42 in his solitary Test in 2018, Burns was promptly discarded for the Pakistan series, despite jet-jag playing a considerable role in his previous Test outing.

This summer, the opener has had an indifferent start to the domestic season, averaging 37.14 from his four Shield matches.

Whilst few could doubt that Harris (427 runs at 87.4) has outperformed his Queensland counterparts so far this summer, both Renshaw and Burns are unlucky not to already have incumbency of the opening positions in the Test side.

Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell in a recent T20

Maxwell has fallen victim to unfortunate scheduling, which has seen him representing Australia in limited overs cricket, and unable to press his case for Test selection in the Sheffield Shield.

Indeed, the Victorian was called upon for a 3-match T20 series in the UAE, before returning home to play 3 ODIs and one T20 against South Africa, and 3 T20s against India, meaning he played no first-class cricket in the lead up to selection.

Despite a reputation to the contrary, Maxwell is an accomplished first-class cricketer, averaging 41.07 with the bat, and taking around one wicket per game with his spin bowling.

Last summer, the white-ball star managed 707 runs at an average of 50.5 in the Sheffield Shield, including a mammoth 278 against New South Wales at North Sydney Oval.

Maxwell can consider himself unlucky to not have joined the Test side in the UAE, a situation which would have enhanced his chances of maintaining a role in the middle order.

The much-maligned star was exonerated from Australia A's tour of India in September, having seemingly already booked his ticket to the UAE, before being left out in surprising circumstances.

Thus, through a combination of limited overs scheduling, and unfortunate prior selections, Maxwell won't be seen in the baggy green for the first two Tests of the summer.

Matthew Wade

Wade playing a One Day International for Australia

Following Tim Paine's surprising selection for last summer's Ashes, Wade's international career appeared over, with the left-hander no longer Tasmania's number one keeper.

Undeterred by Paine's meteoric rise, the Tasmanian has responded this summer with a stellar season with the bat, prompting calls for him to be picked as a specialist batsman.

Boasting a healthy first-class average of 39.56, Wade made 412 runs at runs at 82.4 in his first 4 Sheffield Shield matches of the summer, with a highest score of 137.

The now reserve-gloveman has demonstrated remarkable consistency so far this summer, making 4 half centuries in addition to his 100, meaning he has passed 50 in 5 of his 8 first-class innings this season.

Whilst Paine's rise to the role of Test captain makes the Test keeping position unobtainable, Wade's stellar form and consistency with the bat made him a realistic middle order option for a Test side struggling with regular collapses, and in desperate need of stability.

Jake Lehmann

Lehmann hits out during the Sheffield Shield

The son of former coach and batsman Darren, Lehmann has continued to highlight his promise at first class level this summer.

The 26-year-old South Australian compiled 306 runs in his first 4 Sheffield Shield outings, averaging 51, with one century and 2 fifties.

Counting against Lehmann however, was his mediocre record in first-class cricket last summer, where he averaged just 28.21 from 10 Sheffield Shield matches.

Understandably, the selectors overlooked the South Australian's current form, searching for consistent performances, rather than half a season of quality.

The South Australian averages 38.6 at first-class level, a number that is likely to increase as he enters the prime of his career in exceptional form.

Whilst picking Lehmann may have been a gamble, the son of the former coach must have come into consideration, given the state of the rebuilding national side, and the promise of an accomplished batsman with his best years ahead of him.