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By Rodrigo Santos Andrade
Once the envy of the world, where has Australia’s batting talent gone?
visibility comment0 event October 8, 2026 timer 21:20
Australian batters aren’t scoring runs like they used to. There are a few reasons why, but the answer isn’t obvious.
Tonight, the Australian men’s cricket team starts its three-match Test series against South Africa with serious question marks over most of its batting lineup.
Despite its number-one Test ranking, Australia’s batting was seriously exposed during an underwhelming drawn series at home against Bangladesh in August.
Many critics pushed for change in the batting lineup but others pointed out there was scarce talent dominating at lower levels. This raised a startling but fair question: what has happened to Australia’s once enviable batting stocks?
Those under the pump
Only Cameron Green (61) and Steve Smith (52) averaged more than 30 against Bangladesh. Despite these low numbers, selectors announced a very similar squad for the tour against second-ranked South Africa.
Young Western Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly was the only recognised batsman added to the squad that played against Bangladesh. However, just before the series, Nic Maddinson and Sam Harper were added after injuries to Green and Josh Inglis.
Marnus Labuschagne will the player under the most pressure in South Africa. He has not scored a Test century since July 2023, and has averaged just 24.69 during this time.
Respected commentators such as Ricky Ponting called for him to be axed.
Labuschagne was considered lucky to not be dropped alongside Jake Weatherald during the Bangladesh series.
What has happened to Australia’s batting?
Australia’s all-conquering Test teams of the 1990s and 2000s regularly had multiple players averaging more than 50 runs per innings. An average above 50 is considered elite.
Steve Waugh (51.06), Ponting (51.85), Michael Hussey (51.52) and Matthew Hayden (50.73) are good examples.
Currently, Smith (56.00) is Australia’s only player with a career average of more than 45.
The same trend is apparent at the level below Test cricket, the Sheffield Shield. Historically, numerous players averaged more than 50 in a season without ever breaking into the Australian Test team.
Tasmanian opener Jamie Cox did it eight times in a row between 1992 and 2000, but was stuck behind legends such as Mark Taylor, Michael Slater and Justin Langer.
It led Australian batting great Ponting to once famously say:
If you were averaging 35 when I was playing, your dad would go and buy you a basketball or a footy and tell you to play that.
Last season none of the top ten Sheffield Shield run-scorers averaged more than 40.
Former great Mark Waugh recently acknowledged Australia’s young batters are “not bashing the door down” for Test spots and that their low numbers have contributed to continued opportunities for poorly performing incumbents such as Labuschagne.
So, why has Australia’s batting declined so much?
There are a number of contributing factors. These include the emergence of Twenty20 (T20) cricket, changing balls, and bowler-friendly pitches.
The impact of shorter-form cricket
The popularity of T20 cricket has had a big impact on batting technique and concentration.
Former Australian captain Greg Chappell noted the shorter versions of the game require big hitters rather than batters who could concentrate for long periods – essential in Test cricket.
Many batters prefer to play more big shots, and lack the patience to bat for extended periods in challenging conditions.
Chappell also noted Australia’s summer cricket calendar makes it hard to develop potential Test cricketers.
The Sheffield Shield has always had a break over the Christmas period. However, the addition of the Big Bash League (BBL) has seen this break increase from two weeks in the early 2000s to more than two months.
This means batters who have a good start in the Sheffield Shield season can lose their rhythm while they are focused on hitting boundaries during the BBL. They can then find it hard to rediscover their red ball form once the Sheffield Shield recommences.
The Sheffield Shield has also suffered from many Test players being rested from state cricket or choosing to play in T20 tournaments overseas once the BBL has finished.
While this is good for their bank balances, it reduces the time they spend developing the physical and mental skills required to bat for long periods.
Indian players can lose their lucrative national contracts if they do not play domestic cricket. Cricket Australia has no similar requirement.
What about the pitches?
Australian pitches have heavily favoured bowlers in recent years. While this approach makes for exciting games and fewer draws, they do make batting more challenging.
An extreme case at Test level was last year’s Boxing Day clash against England which was rated the most difficult for batters of any Australian pitch since records began in 2006.
The past four Sheffield Shield seasons are all in the top ten hardest seasons for batters since 1977 (as measured by the lowest runs scored per wicket taken).
Making things even harder has been the development of a new Kookaburra ball that has an additional layer of lacquer, which means the seam stays hard for longer and helps bowlers.
The emergence of day-night matches in recent seasons has also made batting more difficult.
Read more:
Like night and day: why Test cricket changes so much under lights
Smith recently said batting is currently the hardest it has been at any point in his 16-year Test career.
Changes for the upcoming season
Cricket Australia has announced it will change playing conditions this summer to assist batters and spin bowlers. These changes will include a longer middle session (when batting is generally easier) and directing curators to prepare more batter-friendly pitches.
Time will tell if these changes will be enough to improve Australia’s Test batting options, which, regardless of the result in South Africa, need replenishing.
Vaughan Cruickshank does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Tags: Academic Journalism, The Conversation, The Conversation Academic News
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