'Good enough to play that role' - Voges backs Inglis as top-four Test batter

Josh Inglis could possibly bat at No.4 in Australia's revamped top-order for the first Test in the Caribbean and his Western Australia (WA) coach Adam Voges believes the wicketkeeper-batter is more than capable of succeeding in the top four at Test level despite limited experience there in first-class cricket.

Inglis was confirmed as a certain starter for the first Test against West Indies in Barbados beginning next Wednesday after Cricket Australia took the unusual step of announcing that Marnus Labuschagne had been dropped five days out from the match while confirming that Steven Smith would miss out through injury.

Inglis was named alongside Sam Konstas as the direct replacements. The batting order was not confirmed, nor was the final XI. Konstas looks set to open alongside Usman Khawaja as Australia's selectors have publicly stated they are keen to bed down an opening combination for the West Indies tour and the Ashes after cycling through five different combinations in the last 12 Tests.

But with Smith likely to return from injury for the second Test in Grenada, it seems logical that Cameron Green will remain at No.3 despite twin failures in the World Test Championship (WTC) final while Inglis could slot in at No.4 in order to create the least disruption for when Smith returns, with Travis Head unlikely to be moved from his preferred position at No.5.

Inglis, 30, has been one of the most in-form players on the planet this year across all-formats and scored a Test century on debut in Sri Lanka batting at No.5. But it was his first first-class century at No.5 having previously scored just one fifty in five innings in that slot. He has even less experience at No.3 and No.4. He played six innings at No.3 for WA in 2019 and scored 76 runs at 12.66 while he has batted just once at No.4, making 44 back in 2015. His best spot in first-class cricket is No.6 where he averages over 50 and has four centuries, all of which have come playing as the specialist wicketkeeper.

Speaking at the BBL draft on Thursday in Melbourne, a day before Inglis' return to the Test XI was confirmed, Voges said the right-hander had the technique and the temperament to handle batting No.3 or No.4 in Test cricket.

"Obviously being a wicket-keeper you're generally batting down the order," Voges said. "We did trial Josh up the order a few years ago, batting at three and wicketkeeping, which is always difficult thing to do.

"We did that because we felt technically he's good enough to play that role and be able to do it. And I think without potentially the burden of having to take the gloves I think it's a role he can fill. And I guess if you fast forward to what does the Test team looks over the course of an Ashes summer, I think these three Tests is a great audition for a number of players, and certainly hopefully for Josh, potentially in that role."

Voges also threw his support behind fellow Western Australian Green and did not advocate for Inglis to replace to him. Green had only previously batted at No.3 once in first-class cricket prior to batting there in the WTC final. He now has three scores at No.3 in first-class cricket of 15, 4 and 0, while he averages 63.92 at No.4 with six centuries including his 174 not out against New Zealand, and he averages 67.58 at No.5 in first-class cricket with four centuries. He has three centuries, including another Test hundred against India at No.6 at an average of 39.36.

Voges urged patience with Green given that he had come off a 15-month period without playing Test cricket following his back injury.

"We know how talented Cameron is," Voges said. "He's coming back off a long layoff with back surgery, missed out in the World Test Championship. There's going to be vastly different conditions in the West Indies. And he's a quality player and a class player, and he'll bounce back."

Green remains unavailable to bowl in the Caribbean as he continues his slow rebuild from back surgery. He began bowling in the nets in England but played the WTC final as a batter-only and remains available as a batter-only in the Caribbean. He is not set to bowl in a game in any format until October where it is hoped he could bowl in Sheffield Shield cricket with the aim of being available as an allrounder in the Ashes.

It means Beau Webster will remain as Australia's allrounder in the Caribbean having made a stellar start to his Test career with the bat at No.6, including top-scoring for Australia in the first innings of the WTC final. But he has just one wicket for 99 from 28 overs with his medium pace in Test cricket. He did take two tail-end wickets with his offspin in two overs to finish off the second Test in Sri Lanka. How he will be used in the Caribbean and his effectiveness on what are likely to be pretty docile pitches remains to be seen.