Australia's new-look batting order 'prepared for anything'

There are only four members of the Australia squad in the West Indies who were part of their previous Test series here in 2015, and one of those, Steven Smith, is currently recuperating from a finger injury in New York. So it's perhaps not surprising that there is an element of uncertainty over what conditions they will be confronted with for the opening match in Barbados.

Their first training session of the tour at Kensington Oval, an optional one where all the batters attended but all the bowlers sat out bar Matt Kuhnemann, was interrupted by showers on a blustery day with the Test pitch uncovered only briefly. The batters made use of what time was available on the adjacent surfaces but the players have kept an open mind, with the Dukes ball used in the Caribbean - a variant on the English version - adding another layer of intrigue.

"I think we're prepared for anything, really, and prepared for maybe both [seam and spin] in the same game," Travis Head said. "We could be starting the game and then it could shift into different modes and plans of attack. So, as a batter, you're just sort of planning for anything at the moment. And then once you get a look at the lay of the land, come up with a plan, and try to cover all bases."

Since the 2015-16 tour, Australia's only visits to the West Indies have been for the Covid-time white-ball tour in 2021 - where Barbados staged the three ODIs - and then last year's T20 World Cup of which Head was a part. "They [the pitches] spun a little bit here," he recalled. "They were pretty slow, but I've heard different things, especially with the Dukes and what that brings."

Australia will have a deficit of 14,570 Test runs in their top order compared to the previous outing at Lord's against South Africa owing to Smith's injury and Marnus Labuschagne's axing, with Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis replacing them. While Smith may return for the second Test in Grenada (and Labuschagne is only one injury away from getting back as the lone spare batter currently in the squad) it is certainly a chance to have an early look at the "reset" that Pat Cummins spoke about after the World Test Championship final.

It will be the first time since 2018, when they played India at the MCG, that an Australia Test XI will not feature Smith and/or Labuschagne. The latter was recalled for the final match of that series and Smith returned from his ban for the start of the 2019 Ashes with the pair becoming fixtures together by the Old Trafford Test.

"When we get into the game, it'll be a little bit new look," Head said. "But guys have already played, so [they have] experience already in a short amount of Test cricket. There's some guys there that have been a part of the group for a long time now, so it shouldn't feel too much different."

The batting order has yet to be confirmed, but while coach Andrew McDonald had previously left the door ajar for Head to open should conditions resemble those of the subcontinent, Head considered that an unlikely option with Konstas expected to get three games at the top to settle in alongside Usman Khawaja with an eye on some stability for the Ashes.

There is a school of thought that as a senior player, Head could move up to No. 4 in Smith's absence, but it may be that Inglis, who scored a century on debut against Sri Lanka, gets that role in what could be a one-off outing if Smith recovers for the second Test. However, should Inglis take his opportunity as he did in Sri Lanka, then it would certainly put pressure on the selectors to find him a regular home in the batting order.

"He can cover so many bases," Head said of Inglis. "[He's had] limited opportunity in a long time being in the squad. It feels like he's played a lot more than he has for Australia. Once he gets his extended stay in the team, I think he'll excel. He's already showed great application in Sri Lanka. He's [been] in some tough roles as well… I think he's well-adapted and ready to go. He's been waiting for a long time."

Whereas two years ago Australia went straight into an Ashes series on the back of beating India in the World Test Championship final, this time they have had to reflect on the loss to South Africa, which came after they had the game for the taking on the second day.

"It's unfortunate we put two years of hard work into one week and [it] didn't quite go to plan," Head said. "Fair play, the opposition played really, really well.

"We've got two more years to build, and this is a first look at it. I think if you dwell on it for too long, or if you look back, you forget about what's moving forward. Of course, we care and, of course, it's not ideal. But at the end of the day you can't change it. You have to move on. You have to get back on the horse."