In-form batter Peter Handscomb is aware it will be difficult to find a spot in an “impressive” Australian Test squad but said he is still hoping to earn a place for the India tour with his “weight of numbers”.
The 31-year-old, who last played red-ball cricket almost four years back, amassed 562 runs at 93.66 in this summer’s Sheffield Shield. He notched a pair of fifties for the Prime Minister’s XI against West Indies last month.
Handscomb will look to push his case when he leads a Cricket Australia XI against South Africa, starting in Brisbane on Friday.
“I’m thereabouts … so the conversations (with Test selectors) are promising,” Handscomb was quoted as saying by ‘The West Australian’.
“But you’ve also got to look at the Test squad as well and there are guys that are in front of me and there are batters doing pretty impressive things.
“I can score as many runs as I want but there still needs to be a spot at the next level, and at the moment they’re playing pretty good cricket.” Handscomb is known for his ability to play spin but he will face competition from Travis Head when it comes to finding a place in the team for the India tour.
Head had tough tours of Sri Lanka and Pakistan this year.
“All you can do as a batter is force your way in through weight of numbers,” said Handscomb, who will join Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming BBL season.
“I pick up the gloves just to make sure that they also know that I’m still available as a back-up ‘keeper, or can take them if need be.
“That’s also an important skill to have in your bag.” Australia will tour India for a four-Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy early in February-March next year.
