Cameron Bancroft was dismissed for just two runs, with Western Australia chasing a modest 83 against Tasmania at the WACA on Wednesday.
One of the likeliest candidates to replace Cameron Green – who will miss the whole summer – in the Australian Test order, Bancroft’s excellent Sheffield Shield form over recent seasons has completely fallen away, with the 31-year-old now having failed to reach double figures in his last four outings at state level.
He was out for just eight in WA’s first innings, which followed a pair of ducks against Queensland in the opening round of the 2024-25 Shield.
Should selectors overlook the recent run of poor form, Bancroft is arguably in the driver’s seat for a return to the Australian red-ball side ahead of Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas and Matt Renshaw.
Renshaw only managed scores of two and 21 in Queensland’s clash with South Australia, while 19-year-old rising star Konstas was out lbw for just two by fellow Test hopeful Scott Boland before hitting 43 runs in the second innings of NSW’s defeat to Victoria at the MCG.
Harris made 26 and 16 in his two spells at the crease in the same match as none of the four made compelling cases to be included in a Test squad that’s also missing David Warner, who retired earlier this year.
There was also trouble for Marnus Labuschagne, with scores of just 22 and 10 against South Australia, and Usman Khawaja fell for zero, then hit 39 in the Bulls’ second innings.
Australia take on India this summer in a five-Test series beginning in under a month’s time at Perth’s Optus Stadium, concluding with the traditional New Year’s Test at the SCG.