Matthew Wade has said that he expected to be dropped from the Australian Test team after the 2-1 Test series loss to India. He was not picked for the South Africa tour, which was finally cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns in the Rainbow Nation.
Although he had never played as an opener in red-ball cricket, Matthew Wade was played as an opener in the first two Tests against India. The 33-year-old explained that he regrets not converting one of his starts into a big score.
Matthew Wade CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
Matthew Wade Regrets Not To Turn One Of His Starts To Big Score As He Batted Really Well Atop The Batting Order
Matthew Wade played 36 Tests since debuting in April 2012 against West Indies. He managed 173 runs averaging 21.63 in the 4 Tests against India. As an opener, he managed 111 runs averaging 27.75 against India.
“I have been around long enough, as I said to Trevor (National selector), to know that if you don’t perform at my age at a high level, then your spot is going to be up. And if your team is not winning, there is more chance of something like that happening. The only regret I have is that I didn’t turn one of my starts into a big score. I batted really well at the top of the order,” Matthew Wade said.
Cameron Green says being both a batsman and a bowler is a blessing in disguise.(AAP: Jono Searle)
Following Cameron Green’s emergence, Matthew Wade admits it would be difficult for him to get back into the Australian Test team.
“The facts are, [Cameron] Green is going to play for a long period of time, he is an all-rounder, and everyone wanted him to get into the position he is in now. Travis Head is a good, young player as well, and then there was myself in the middle order all kind of jostling for spots,” added Wade.
In four Test matches against India in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Matthew Wade amassed 173 runs at an average of 21.63. The left-handed batsman has failed to score a half-century in his last 14 Test innings.
It has been a career of reinvention for Matthew Wade as he went from a Test wicketkeeper to specialist middle-order batsman and subsequently opener after a prolific run in domestic cricket when it appeared his international days were over. He eventually earned a spot for the 2019 Ashes series during which he scored two centuries and has since also returned to the ODI and T20 set-ups.
Matthew Wade Insisists To Do Well For Australia To Get Back Into Test Fold
Matthew Wade was dropped from the Australian Test team for the aborted Test series against South Africa. However, he remains in the Australian squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Matthew Wade insisted that in order to return to the Test fold, he needs to perform well for Tasmania.
Australia Won Ashes trophy 2017-18 (Image Tweeted By @CricketAus)
“In terms of my path back into the Test team, that will take care of itself if I perform and, if an opportunity comes up, they [selectors] know I can play at that level. I will go back and contribute to, hopefully, wins for Tasmania … if I do that, and manage to score the runs on the way to those wins for Tassie, then maybe I get another opportunity,” Wade said.
Australia‘s next Test series will be against England in November which will be the Ashes. The Aussies will be keen to bounce back, following their humbling loss at the hands of India. Australia won the 5 match Test series the Ashes 4-0 in 2017-18 in Australia while in 2019 the series was drawn 2-2 in England.
