Darren Lehmann: The deal is done; it’s time to play some really good cricket

Darren Lehmann is an overtly forward-thinking personality. The Australian coach does not want to dwell into the past, and with the pay dispute of players with Cricket Australia sorted out, Lehmann wants to focus on cricket.

Darren Lehmann is an overtly forward-thinking personality. The Australian coach does not want to dwell into the past, and with the pay dispute of players with Cricket Australia sorted out, Lehmann wants to focus on cricket. “Now the deal is done, it’s a case of us making sure we are in the best possible place to play some really good cricket,” Lehmann told Triple M Adelaide’s Dead Set Legends show. Australia’s last assignment was the Champion Trophy, a tournament where they failed to make it to the semi-final mark.

In the recent past, Australia have suffered great ordeals in the subcontinent, having lost series against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Bangladesh would be a place the Australians will hope to register a win, but it would not be easy because England almost lost there last year. They managed to squeak out a 1-1 result. The addition of new faces to the Australian squad excites Lehmann, as it brings a good mix of youngsters and experienced into the scheme of things.

“That is the really pleasing thing from a coach’s point of view. A few (of the Australia squad players) have been in Brisbane for the last few weeks, or training with their state systems. That’s been really good for the young state guys to see the Australian boys train so that’s been a plus. Now we go to Darwin next week and they are obviously great conditions for us leading into Bangladesh,” he added.

Mitchell Swepson’s inclusion in the squad has opened a can of debates, but Lehmann feels it’s a luxury to have another spinner in friendly conditions.

“We think it’s going to turn, obviously, so an extra spinner there. If we only play two quicks, we have still got an extra quick there as well. We have got plenty of options. It gives us a really good squad going into that tour,” Lehmann added.

Swepson’s gain

Steve O’Keefe, the man who turned the tides against India in the Pune Test earlier this year, has been surprisingly omitted from the squad, which gives Mitchell Swepson a chance.

“Obviously I’m the last one added to the squad so I would think that the other two spinners are most likely to get a go ahead of me. But you never know what can happen and what the pitches are going to be like. It’s all up to the selection panel and the skipper and the coach in which way they want to go. I have got to go over there prepared to play a Test match. Whether that happens or not is another thing. If it doesn’t happen, I’ll just be a sponge and soak it all up and take that experience away with me,” Swepson told cricket.com.au.

Australia squad for Bangladesh tour 2017: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, UsmanKhawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade (wk)