‘I’m that guy’: Renshaw must make undeniable case for return to Test side as Sheffield Shield season begins

Matthew Renshaw will reunite with Usman Khawaja at the top of Queensland’s Sheffield Shield order as his new coach urges the Test hopeful to shout “I’m that guy”.

Khawaja will move back up to the No. 4 spot when the four-day contest begins on Tuesday, while fringe Test prospect Chance Renshaw will also face the new, red ball against three-time defending champions Western Australia.

New captain Marnus Labuschagne will bat at No. 3 for last year’s Wood Spooners, who are now captained by former South African spinner Johan Botha.

The coach wants to increase his batting intensity and give Renshaw, who has been up and down the order in recent years, a platform to be in contention for the first Test against India next month.

“He will open up,” Botha told AAP on Monday. “We all plan to get him back into the Test team.

“Even if he is not in pole position at the moment, it is nothing that two big scores cannot change.

“Get a big score when everyone is watching; This is what matters. And it will count if he is batting with Khawaja and Marnus around him.

“It puts him right in the mix and forces them (selectors) to take a difficult decision.

“And whoever gets the first look, they have to go with that guy for a while.”

A year ago there was a triangular fight between Renshaw, Victorian Marcus Harris and Washington’s Cameron Bancroft to replace the retiring David Warner.

His place was eventually filled by Steve Smith, allowing Cameron Green to return to the team at number 4.

The current Smith scored a brilliant unbeaten 91 in Australia’s thrilling defeat to the West Indies at the Gabba, but has scored 12 or fewer runs in six of his eight innings at the top of the order.

Nathan Lyon will play for NSW but has not been named in the squad to face South Australia in Sydney, along with former Test captain Smith, current skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Where Test No. 5 Travis Head, who has emerged as an opening batsman in one-day internationals, will bat in that game will also be revealing.

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Queensland opening batsman Matthew Renshaw. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Green could also open at No. 4, but he will not join Mitch Marsh or Josh Inglis for the Warriors Shield opener as he battles a fresh back concern.

Botha said, “Who is going to take those first four or six chances of the summer and say, ‘I’m the guy?’

“They will all be feeling a bit of pressure in the background that they want to be the next Test opener.

“They are all in the same boat. “Anybody could be on the lead at this point, but no balls have been bowled.”

Khawaja, 38, will play in at least three of the Bulls’ four Shield fixtures before the first Test in December and would become Australia’s oldest Test cricketer since Steve Waugh should he play later this year.

The left-handed batsman has averaged 53.41 since his return during the 2021/22 Ashes, providing a steady hand at the top of the order despite batting at No. 4 when playing for the Bulls.

Botha said the pair ultimately agreed that his promotion was in the best interests of all parties and that he would be a “calming influence” next to the new captain, whom he encouraged to have fun.

“With the ball, and with our fields, try to get people out in their first 20, 30 balls,” Botha said of the Bulls’ approach.

“And (leg spinner) Mitch Swepson – can we bring him in a bit earlier in the game as an attacking option? Marnus would certainly think so.”

sheffield shield

* Victoria vs Tasmania @ Junction Oval, Melbourne
* Western Australia vs Queensland @ WACA, Perth
* NSW vs South Australia @ Cricket Central, Sydney

© AAP