Ashes 2013-14: Mitchell Johnson, George Bailey’s deserved call-up for 1st Test could serve Australia well

Mitchell Johnson (left) and George Bailey have impressed with ball and bat respectively in the shorter formats for Australia in the last few months © Getty Images

Australian selectors on Tuesday announced the squad to take on England in the first Ashes 2013-14 Test, which begins at The Gabba in Brisbane on November 21. While Mitchell Johnson earned a call up after good performance in the shorter formats, the inclusion of in-form George Bailey and the talented James Faulkner is a positive sign going ahead. Devarchit Varma has more…

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Couple of months ago, every decision being made by the Australian selectors and team management was ending up as a deterrent in the team’s progress. While the team was humiliated in India with a couple of controversies surrounding it, the losses in England proved that the situation will not improve overnight. This being a fact, what Australia needed to do was to take right decisions in order to begin their journey back to the top, and the selection panel headed by John Inverarity and team management seems to be doing that.
 
The rejuvenation of left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson, the trust shown in the experienced and cool-headed George Bailey and the rise of James Faulkner — who all were named in the Australia’s 12-member squad for the first Ashes 2013-14 Test at The Gabba — is certainly a step in the right direction. While England will be itching to create history by winning four Ashes series on the trot, Australia have given themselves a good shot to contain them with the inclusion of these three cricketers. Even if Australia are not favourites to beat England, the firepower which they have added in form of Johnson, Bailey and Faulkner has definitely provided them enough to make it tough for the high-flying tourists.
 
Johnson may have been sporadic or erratic in the previous few years in international cricket, but the form and consistency that the left-arm pacer has shown in the last six to eight months has provided a fresh lease of life to the Australian fast bowling department, which is set to miss some of its key members for the first couple of Ashes Tests. The absence of James Pattinson, Jackson Bird and Mitchell Starc is unfortunate, but the possibility of Johnson teaming up with pace spearheads Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris provides Australia the necessary strength with the new ball. It’s likely that Johnson will share the new ball with Harris — who is buoyed with Johnson’s return.
 
Everyone remembers Johnson’s six-wicket burst at Perth in the last Ashes affair Down Under, and with the bat, the 32-year-old promises Australia the all-round abilities. Moreover, having been a part of the 2006-07 Ashes-winning Australian squad and a member of the sides that lost it twice on the trot, Johnson would be eager to settle scores with the arch-rivals and their Barmy Army.
 
Bailey is an exciting prospect. Though age may perhaps not be on his side, in terms of leading the Australian national side, he is a seasoned campaigner who understands his game perfectly. His leadership skills might be handy for Michael Clarke if he makes it to the playing eleven, and his current form with the bat is a bonus for Australia. As the Australians had set out to tour India for a limited-overs series, Australian selectors and coach Darren Lehmann promised consideration for Ashes selection to those who would perform. Bailey made the most of it — barging into the squad ahead of Tasmania’s Alex Doolan, who has performed well in domestic cricket this season.
 
The 31-year-old Bailey has a good head on his shoulders and knows where he stands. He told Fairfax Media, “Character won’t keep me in the team. I know that. It’s a pretty simple equation — it is runs. That is what the team is after.” The destination is still far away, and Bailey will need to replicate his performance with the bat in order to remain on track.
 
The rise of Faulkner as Australia’s key cricketer in the shorter formats has ensured his selection in the Test line-up. He showed at The Oval in the 2013 Ashes that he has it in him to perform across all three formats of the game, and the growth graph is on the rise for the 23-year-old Tasmanian. With his all-round skills, Faulkner promises a lot and unlike the other young Australian cricketers, for whom this Ashes affair could yet be another litmus Test, keeping the selection policies in mind, Faulkner can play with a lot more freedom.
 
While the squad for the Ashes in England was a step back to control the damage, the Australians have indeed shown improvement in planning with the selection of the squad for the first Test of the return Ashes. Johnson and Bailey’s addition to the bowling and batting departments respectively brings more stability, whereas Faulkner’s presence in both these departments adds more to Australia’s benefit.

(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)