Australia’s batting has faced many challenges in 2024, with some familiar faces struggling to find their rhythm. The year has been tough for the Australian top-order, with a clear lack of big scores.
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Despite the best efforts of some players, Australia has faced difficult conditions both at home and abroad, and their performance with the bat has been under scrutiny. In the opening Test of the year, Australia’s top four batters combined for just 29 runs across eight innings.
This lack of consistency from the top order is a theme that has continued throughout the year. While players like Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey have stepped up from the middle and lower order to rescue the team in difficult situations, the team has largely struggled to post big totals.
Travis Head, acknowledging the team’s difficulties, said, “Batters, we want to hold our own. We know how good our bowlers have been for us in the past, and they’ve got us out of trouble a lot.” The Australian batting lineup has been underperforming compared to other international teams in 2024.
Of the teams that have played at least six Tests, only Bangladesh and the West Indies have had worse returns from their Nos. 1 to 7. Australia has only managed two centuries this year, one from Cameron Green and another from Head.
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To make matters worse, Australia has yet to cross the 400-run mark in a single innings, a feat they had not failed to achieve since 1990. One factor contributing to the struggles is the change in pitch conditions across Australia.
Usman Khawaja noted that the wickets have become tougher for batting in recent years. He explained, “The wickets are greener, these balls are tougher, the game has 100% changed.”
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This shift in conditions, along with the impact of modern cricket balls, has made batting a more challenging task for Australian players. Despite these challenges, Australia’s batting isn’t in a complete slump.
There are still individual performances that stand out. Let’s take a look at the top 10 runscorers for Australia in 2024.
Player | Matches | Runs | Average | Highest Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cameron Green | 4 | 302 | 50.33 | 174* |
Alex Carey | 7 | 302 | 33.55 | 98* |
Travis Head | 7 | 298 | 29.8 | 100 |
Usman Khawaja | 7 | 286 | 26 | 91 |
Mitchell Marsh | 7 | 263 | 26.3 | 76 |
Marnus Labuschagne | 7 | 245 | 24.5 | 53 |
Steven Smith | 7 | 230 | 25.55 | 91* |
Pat Cummins | 7 | 162 | 20.25 | 35* |
Nathan Lyon | 7 | 128 | 14.22 | 34 |
Mitchell Starc | 7 | 121 | 13.44 | 39 |