Former Aussie captain Mark Taylor urges selectors to back struggling batters Cameron Green and Sam Konstas for the remainder of the West Indies Test tour, despite poor scores in the series opener. Taylor stresses the need to invest in youth amid Australia’s top-order batting concerns.
Former Australia Test captain Mark Taylor has come out in strong support of young batters Cameron Green and Sam Konstas, urging selectors and fans alike to remain patient with the struggling duo following their underwhelming performances in the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados.
In a match that Australia ultimately won, both Green and Konstas failed to make significant contributions with the bat. Nineteen-year-old Konstas, handed the role of opening the innings, scored just 3 and 5 across his two innings. Cameron Green, who has been in and out of the side due to injury and form fluctuations, managed scores of only 3 and 15.
Despite their failures, Taylor believes the team needs to show faith in its emerging talents, particularly with the second Test set to be played in Grenada. Speaking on Nine’s Wide World of Sports, Taylor emphasized the importance of sticking with promising players during tough periods, especially when they represent the future of Australian cricket.
“I think Cameron Green has to stay there for this tour,” Taylor said. “Steve Smith will more than likely come in. I think he’s coming back from the US from his broken finger. So he’ll slot back in whenever he’s ready—probably at number four. But Australia have got to stick here.”
Taylor acknowledged Konstas’ limited experience but stressed that the 19-year-old should be given a proper opportunity to secure his spot at the top of the order.
“He’s only 19 and as has been widely reported, he’s not quite the finished product at the moment. But he’s our best young gun,” Taylor said. “He’s got to be given an opportunity here to nail that spot down.”
As for Green, who has now played 30 Tests at the age of 26 with a modest batting average of 33, Taylor remains confident in the all-rounder’s long-term value. He referenced Green’s 174-run match-winning innings last year as evidence of his potential.
“He’s shown us he can do it, but at the moment I think he’s a bit nervous,” Taylor explained. “He’s pushing hard at the ball because he’s had injuries, he’s had a chequered career in terms of not being able to play Test match after Test match and find his slot in the team. But we’ve got to stick with him.”
Taylor’s comments come amid a broader concern over Australia’s top-order batting fragility. While the team secured a win in the first Test, the bulk of the runs came from the lower middle-order. Travis Head earned the man-of-the-match award, and contributions from Beau Webster (60) and Alex Carey (60) helped Australia to overcome their top-order shortcomings.
“It is a good win, no doubt about that. Bowlers win your test matches. You need 20 wickets to win a Test match more often than not, and Australia have got an outstanding bowling attack. We’ve had that for a long time,” Taylor said.
However, he warned that such performances might be masking bigger issues at the top of the order.
“Yes, there are some cracks there. Obviously we’re still trying to work out our top three, and with Steve Smith not playing that game, we had quite a new top four. At the moment, our runs in Test match cricket are generally coming from five, six, and seven,” he noted.
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Taylor singled out Alex Carey as one of the few consistent performers with the bat, calling him “probably the most sound player in the team, bar Steve Smith at the moment.”
As Australia prepares for the second Test in Grenada, the focus will be on how selectors balance experience with the need to blood new talent. Whether Green and Konstas retain their places will be a critical decision, not just for the outcome of the series, but for the future shape of Australia’s Test batting lineup.
