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India vs Australia: Peter Handscomb’s ticket to promising international career

Hailing from a cricket family, Peter Handscomb’s intentions and goals, however, have always been very clear: cricket all the way long.

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Peter Handscomb has struck 2 Test centuries since his debut in November 2016 © Getty Images
Peter Handscomb has struck 2 Test centuries since his debut in November 2016 © Getty Images

Imagine Peter Handscomb pitted against Novak Djokovic or maybe Roger Federer in recent times. In case you are wondering what I am talking about, Peter Handscomb actually had to choose between the court and the pitch — which is indication enough of his natural talent and fitness. Handscomb was good enough to play against Bernard Tomic, currently No. 32, in his younger days. Hailing from a cricketing family, Handscomb’s intentions and goals, however, have always been very clear: cricket all the way long. At 25, Handscomb is finally converting years of hard work and perseverance into rewards: his current batting average of 99.75 has been built around at least a fifty in each of his first 4 Tests — the first to do so since Umar Akmal.

Peter’s father John was an off-spinner who played for Huntingdonshire County in England and for Prahran CC in Melbourne Grade Cricket. Elder brother James, a highly-rated leg-spinner, was unfortunate to end his career due to a wrist injury — but not before playing for St Kilda and even Victoria second XI. Peter had started his journey with St Kilda at 17, scoring a solitary in his first 20 innings. James helped Peter hone his technique against spin, something that will be severely tested by Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the weeks to come.

From Victoria to Adelaide

With a First-Class aggregate of 4,300 runs, 11 hundreds and an average of 42.57 (significantly lower than his Test average), Handscomb has carved a niche in Australian domestic cricket. It had all started with 71 on debut for Victoria against Queensland in 2011-12, albeit in a losing cause.

By 2014, Handscomb had completed 34 Sheffield Shield matches for Victoria with a solitary century to his name then. His average came down to 30. But he refused to give up.

He finally came to his elements in the 2014-15 Sheffield Shield final with 112 and 61, though he could not win the match. Despite finding his groove in domestic circuit, Handscomb’s highest score remained 137 till 2015.

But one innings changed Handscomb’s career and for Australia as well, but the story deserves an introduction.

Back in July 2016, Australia suffered one batting collapse after another in Sri Lanka. None of them barring captain Steven Smith and David Warner put up resistance of any kind. Australia were whitewashed. They had to relinquish the No. 1 spot in Test rankings.

Australia pondered over the changes that could be brought in before the long summer.

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The season began on a bitter note for Australia. They lost the first Test by 177 runs to South Africa. They were obliterated in the second Test, this time by an innings and 80 runs. Rod Marsh, Chairman of Selectors, promptly resigned. Australia needed fresh talent.

Roughly at the same time Handscomb carved out a 356-ball 215 happened against New South Wales (NSW) at Sydney. The attack, consisting of Doug Bollinger, Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Trent Copeland and Moises Henriques, was formidable. Handscomb’s partner-in-crime was his state captain Matthew Wade.

Two days later he got his cap in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide. He had played with the pink ball during his Sheffield Shield days in Adelaide. By the time he made his debut, Handscomb had assimilated 2,151 runs in First-Class at an average of 51.21.

Of course, there was another reason that contributed to his Test debut. While Handscomb was pillaging runs against NSW, Adam Voges, Australia’s regular No. 5, was hit on his head at Perth. He concussed, was taken to the hospital, and took no further part in the match.

Three months and four Tests later, Voges announced retirement from Test cricket — for Handscomb had become almost impossible to replace.

It was an emotional moment for Handscomb. His entire family and St Kilda teammates, who travelled all the way from Melbourne to Adelaide to watch young Peter, witnessed his fifty. Unfortunately, it had come too late for John Handscomb, who had been every at every match Peter played: He had passed away just over a year back.

Handscomb also scored the winning run. Australia won the dead-rubber Test.

The fairytale summer

Handscomb’s fifty against South Africa was merely a teaser. Batting at No. 5, Handscomb unleashed himself against Pakistan.

Handscomb did not go for merely a fifty this time. At Brisbane he got 105, his maiden hundred, and added 35 not out in the second innings for good measure. At Melbourne he got 54. The first-innings 110 at Sydney took his average to 89.75, more than Michael Hussey’s 88.40 at the same stage of his career before he trod on to the stumps and was given out hit wicket. Not happy, he remained unbeaten on 40 in the second innings.

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Another feather on Handscomb’s cap was of not having been dismissed below 50 in four consecutive Tests. This was one of a kind record for Handscomb as he was the first Australian to achieve this feat since Herbie Collins in 1920-21.

More records are to be broken by the right-hander. With the India tour in place, they may soon be accomplished.

Stint in India:

Apart from being a prolific domestic batsman, Handscomb was also captain of Australia A. His maiden appearance against India A in July 2015 on a hot steamy Chennai afternoon saw him score a fluent 91 against the likes of Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha.

Handscomb later told PTI: “I had a discussion with David Hussey, who knows the conditions here well enough. I had come here once two years ago with the Academy boys. I had come here early during this trip to practice. I had spent two-and-a-half months in England before coming here and playing swing there and spin here was not that challenging.”

Before we move further, apart from being led by Smith in the national side, did you know Handscomb had the opportunity to play under MS Dhoni?

No kidding. He was bought by Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) in IPL 2016 auction for INR 30 lakhs, although he played just 2 matches and scored a mere 6 runs.

Handscomb has, however, been released by the franchise for the upcoming edition of IPL. His red-hot form, however, February 20’s auction will decide his fate.

Unusual batting technique

If you notice closely, you will see that Handscomb holds his bat high above the shoulders as the bowler runs in. Then it comes down slightly, and goes up as soon as the bowler releases the ball. While this is common practice among Englishmen, it is not common among Australians.

Before sticking to this technique, Handscomb had several advices flowing his way, the early ones from his father — to play straight. Speaking on the batting technique to Sydney Morning Herald, Handscomb said: “In my first three years of Shield cricket, each year I came back with a different technique. It’s about trying to find your own way. You only have to look at the best batters in the world; they all do it differently … Players like Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson like to go forward. To the same ball they go forward to, I’d go back to. I’m more comfortable there. By staying back, it means I’m going to get more short balls than full balls.”

Handscomb’s batting technique against spin has been lauded on several occasions. With India’s spin-friendly conditions tailor-made for Handscomb, he will probably do better than some of his illustrious teammates.

Before the Pakistan tour Handscomb was eager to face the Yasir Shah challenge, where he was confident that Yasir would not be able to spin much in bouncy conditions. He did prove himself right with his technique.

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RPS vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was fascinated by Handscomb’s technique: “He was unbelievable against spin. Instead of going all the way out, he would go so deep in his crease; his foot would be behind the stumps. I found it amazing to watch.”

He has taken Mishra and Ojha for a ride in Chennai already. Now he remains a strong contender for the India tour.

A man of many parts

An occasional wicketkeeper, a tennis player, and a junior football star, Handscomb is one of those men who excel at every sport. India have to be wary of this Australian-born son of English parents.

And while he is preparing for the tour, here is how we saw a clip of Handscomb mastering the art of slip catching:

@phandscomb54 under the pump!

A post shared by cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) on

As I write this, Handscomb has already scored 45 on Day One of Australia’s practice match against India A that included 3 fours.

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