Marcus Harris scored a composed 74 for Australia A against India A on Friday, bolstering his chances to secure the opening spot alongside Usman Khawaja for the upcoming five-Test series against India. Harris’s innings helped Australia A reach 223 in response to India A’s 161 on day two of their four-day match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
With David Warner’s recent retirement leaving a vacancy, several candidates were given opportunities in Australia A’s two red-ball matches against India A. Harris, Nathan McSweeney, Cameron Bancroft, and Sam Konstas were all in contention. Konstas, despite early promise, struggled to deliver in both matches, while Bancroft’s low scores have also dampened his prospects. McSweeney impressed with an unbeaten 88 in Mackay but faltered after being promoted to opener in Melbourne.
Harris, a left-hander who made his Test debut in 2018, has yet to replicate his strong first-class form at the Test level, with an average of 25.29. His 138-ball knock, which included five boundaries, now places him as a front-runner for Australia’s Test squad selection, expected to be announced next week.
