Australia's senior batters, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, are under pressure to perform in the next two Tests or they risk setting an unwanted record for the longest spell without a Test century in the team's recent history. Despite not reaching triple digits in their last 24 and 27 innings respectively, fast bowler Pat Cummins has faith in his teammates, especially after witnessing Smith's impressive form in the nets. However, the team's overall struggle to score centuries has become a growing concern, with only three individual hundreds being scored in the last seven Tests.
Australian Batting Wobbles: Smith and Khawaja Face Pressure as Century Drought Looms
Australia's Test batting lineup has come under scrutiny after senior stalwarts Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja failed to reach triple figures in their last 24 and 27 innings, respectively. This concerning trend has raised fears that they could set an unwanted record for the longest spell without a Test century in the team's recent history.
Background:
Smith and Khawaja have been the backbone of Australia's batting lineup in recent years, averaging 60.88 and 54.12 respectively. However, their recent form has been underwhelming, with both players struggling to convert starts into substantial scores.
Current Situation:
The pressure on Smith and Khawaja has intensified ahead of the upcoming two Tests against India. If they fail to score a century in these matches, they will extend their century drought to 26 and 29 innings, respectively, surpassing the previous record of 25 innings set by Michael Clarke and Shaun Marsh in 2015.
Cummins' Faith:
Despite the team's struggles, fast bowler Pat Cummins remains optimistic about his teammates. He has praised Smith's form in the nets and believes that both he and Khawaja are capable of turning their fortunes around.
Growing Concern:
However, the team's overall struggle to score centuries is a growing concern. In the last seven Tests, only three individual hundreds have been scored, with Marnus Labuschagne contributing all three. This has highlighted a lack of depth in Australia's batting lineup.
Top 5 FAQs:
1. What is the longest spell without a Test century for Australia in recent history? 25 innings, set by Michael Clarke and Shaun Marsh in 2015.
2. How many innings have Smith and Khawaja gone without a Test century? Smith: 24 innings Khawaja: 27 innings
3. Why are Smith and Khawaja under pressure? They are Australia's senior batters and have failed to score a century in their last 24 and 27 innings, respectively.
4. What has been the team's overall century conversion rate in recent Tests? Only three individual centuries have been scored in the last seven Tests.
5. What does Pat Cummins say about Smith's form? Cummins believes that Smith is in good form in the nets and is confident that he can turn his fortunes around.
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