Peter Handscomb’s Test lifeline has been positioned unsure with the Victorian set for scans on his hip after copping a blow in a membership recreation.
Handscomb was hit making an attempt to play a pull shot within the Victorian Super Slam on Tuesday night time, earlier than collapsing as he hit a six from an analogous shot three balls later.
The 31-year-old retired harm and, whereas officers are hopeful the harm is bruising and never a fracture, he was due for scans on Wednesday.
Any harm could be a brutal blow to Handscomb who has not performed for Australia since January 2019.
A star of the long run when he averaged 99.75 via his first Tests in 2016-17, Handscomb was dropped twice throughout the 2018-19 summer season.
During that point he has commonly insisted his Test profession shouldn’t be thought of over, as he argued he was removed from his prime as a batsman.
Handscomb has since scored 571 runs at a median of 81.57 on this summer season’s Sheffield Shield, as he mounted his case for choice.
“Peter Handscomb deserves his place back in the squad,” chief selector George Bailey mentioned.
“His domestic form has been strong recently and Pete has proven he can perform at Test level.
“His expertise towards spin on the subcontinent is effective and he’s additionally an exceptionally good close-to-the-wicket catcher.”
The 31-year-old could come into calculations for the first Test in Nagpur on February 9 to bat at No.6 if Cameron Green does not recover from a broken finger.
Matthew Renshaw earned that spot at the SCG last week, but Australia’s desire to break up a run of left-handers in the middle order could aid Handscomb’s course.
The main concern would be that David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Alex Carey already make for four left-handers in Australia’s top seven, with India’s offspinners to turn the ball away from them.
Otherwise, Handscomb may have to wait for another injury or to see if selectors stick with Head throughout the series.
The swashbuckling South Australian had a brilliant home summer, but struggled for runs on last year’s two tours of the subcontinent in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“He’s an enormous likelihood over in India,” captain Pat Cummins said of Handscomb.
“He has performed rather well over in Bangladesh. In India he has been there earlier than. Even in white-ball (cricket) he has executed rather well there.
“Earned the right by scoring lots of runs in Shield cricket.
“It’s all the time good having a right-hander as nicely, now we have loads of left-handers, simply as a distinct choice.”
