BBL 2018-19: 5 players who can make the tournament a gateway to limited-overs comeback

The BBL has come in at a good time for the once-mighty Aussies.

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Peter Handscomb
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Peter Handscomb. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Peter Handscomb
Peter Handscomb. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

The Australian Cricket team has been a hot topic in recent times. It all started with the infamous ball-tampering saga and the bans imposed on the stalwarts, David Warner and Steven Smith, and the youngster, Cameron Bancroft.

Ever since their exit, the team has looked unsettled and low on confidence. Australia has lost 17 out of the 19 ODIs that they have played since the Newlands’ saga. Their batting has been fragile, to say the least, and their bowling has been patchy. Forget not, this is a totally different Australian team than what it was even a year ago.

The biggest festival in Australia Cricket, the Big Bash League (BBL) is starting on the 19th of December and it is sure to help the Aussies in many ways.

This season of BBL is all the more important for the Australian players involved as it allows themselves to present their case for a place in the national team. In the past, we have seen Chris Lynn, Alex Carey, and D’Arcy Short being handed over opportunities in the team, based on their BBL performances.

With the ICC World Cup 2019 less than 7 months away, the BBL has come in at a good time for the once-mighty Aussies. Experience is the key for any team when they head into a World Cup and a few experienced players have been axed in the past owing to their lacklustre performances at the international stage. BBL 2018-19 is the perfect window for these players to stage a comeback into the international arena.

Having established this, let’s take a look at 5 players who can make a case for their comeback into the national limited-overs team, through the BBL.

Moises Henriques

Moises Henriques
Moises Henriques of the Sixers. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

A solid middle-order batsman, an excellent fielder, and a reliable bowler. Moises Henriques has everything in his arsenal to succeed at the international stage.  Henriques is an experienced limited-overs player and he could be the answer to the Australian middle-order stability issues. Moises can accelerate when required and has the ability to rotate the strike on a regular basis.

Moises averages 9 with the bat in the 11 ODIs he has played thus far. In the 11 T20Is that he has played, Moises carries an impressive average of 31.8 at a strike rate of 130. While the ODI numbers do no justice to the value the 31-year-old carries for his team, they are bound to go up once Moises gets going in the international stage.

Moises has got a good record in Indian conditions as well and his performances for SRH serve as a testimony to that. It’s been more than a year since Moises donned the Australian colours and with the all-rounder’s slot still open in the team, Moises would like to make a point. He’s a player to watch out for, once the season gets underway.

Joe Burns

Joe Burns Brisbane Heat
Brisbane player Joe Burns hits the ball during the Big Bash League. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

The right-handed batsman proved to be the perfect opening partner for David Warner when he made his debut. However, a string of low scores meant that Joe could not feature in the playing XI anymore. The 29-year-old is a radical player who is capable of playing at a healthy strike rate. Burns is the ideal opener alongside Aaron Finch, in the absence of David Warner. Not to forget, Joe Burns is an excellent fielder as well.

Adjusting the gears is a crucial aspect while batting in limited-overs cricket and with Finch being aggressive up at the top, Burns can complement him with his variety of strokes or can even go on to play the defensive role. This BBL season will be the key to Burns’ international career because he is running out of time, as Warner and Smith are scheduled to return a month prior to the World Cup.

Peter Nevill

Peter Neville poses during the Sydney Sixers
Peter Neville poses during the Sydney Sixers BBL headshots session. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

The Australian wicket-keeper was a good find when he was brought into the team. He was consistent with the bat and make no mistake, he had a safe pair of hands behind the stumps. Nevill is a pinch-hitter along with being a destructive option down the batting order and with Alex Carey struggling with his ODI form, Nevill would try and fancy his chances.

Nevill last featured for Australia back in 2016 and this might be his last ever go at a national comeback considering that he is 33. Nevill’s glove-work was never in doubt but his consistency with the bat became an issue and this time, we might see a man on a mission in Peter Nevill.

James Faulkner

James Faulkner
James Faulkner of Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

One cannot simply forget this man. Whenever a game gets out of his team’s reach, Faulkner more often than not produces something sensational to bring them back into the mix. Faulkner’s death bowling in the shortest format of the game has been impressive and his IPL performances say the exact same thing. Although he hasn’t been in the spotlight for the past year or so, Faulkner is known to make things happen.

An explosive all-rounder is what the current Australian team needs and they might just be tempted to play two all-rounders in England, considering the bowling conditions. Faulkner carries an impressive strike rate of 105 in ODI’s but an underwhelming strike rate of 115.22 in the 24 T20I’s that he has featured for Australia.

His IPL strike rate is a substantial 136 and it does indicate that he can flourish on slow-tracks. With England’s pitches suited to favor the batsmen towards the latter part of the innings, Faulkner will have a huge role to play, provided he delivers some breath-taking performances in the upcoming season of BBL.

Peter Handscomb

Peter Handscomb
Peter Handscomb of Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Just like his counterpart, Handscomb too has been out of the limited-overs squad owing to his poor performances with the bat. While he has been a regular starter in the longest format of the game, it’s the ability to play all the three formats that counts. Handscomb last played in the yellow jersey back in 2017 against India and he has been out since then. Handscomb has been in decent form of late and considering that he will be available for BBL once the Test series gets over, the right-hander can foray back into the limited-overs national team.

What makes Handscomb different from Peter Nevill is that he can be drafted in as a specialist batsman, if not as a wicket-keeper in the team. Handscomb knows how to play spin bowling well and he might just pip Nevill in the race for the ticket to England. The 27-year-old has got age on his side and the sooner he establishes himself, the better.

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