Both Peter Handscomb and Matthew Renshaw scored double centuries in the latest round of Sheffield Shield matches, but it is far too soon to consider either player being in contention for Test recalls in the summer.
When considering the current Australian Test players, only Travis Head may feel that his place is in some kind of jeopardy. Therefore, injuries aside, there may only be one spot up for grabs of the specialist batsmen over the summer unless form deserts one of the incumbents: Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith.
Handscomb has started Victoria's Sheffield Shield campaign in sublime form. He has scored 423 runs in three innings, including the seventh-highest score ever for the Bushrangers with 281 not out against Western Australia this week.
Having scored 132 against South Australia in the first match of the season, Handscomb can do little wrong with the bat at the moment.
No one can doubt that Handscomb has had a great start to the season, but a Test recall must be earned with more than two excellent scores. The Victorian is a form player; he tends to put a run of good scores together.
When his form wanes, Handscomb does not have the ability to grind out scores. Test matches require a certain mental toughness, and there were many unanswered questions when Handscomb was last dropped from the Test setup in 2019.
Handscomb averages 38.91 for Australia, yet his technique has constantly been found wanting in a Baggy Green. His mammoth innings in the week was littered with chances, yet fielding profligacy allowed Handscomb to go big. No one will begrudge a batter for making the fielding team pay, but the Test arena rarely affords such opportunities.
Renshaw's double century came against New South Wales and gave a brief overview of what he could offer for Australia's selectors. It was a boundary-laden innings and not reminiscent of the player who took a break from the game for mental health issues in 2020.
2018 was when Renshaw lost his place in the Test side and proved to be the start of a slump in form and confidence. One Test century and three scores past fifty from 11 matches was not the kind of form that Renshaw's promise suggested when he broke onto the scene two years earlier.
There are several rounds of Sheffield Shield matches before the Test team is announced for the first Test against West Indies in Perth on November 30.
If either, or both, have aspirations to be in the mix, then they have to consolidate their starts with more runs. More than that, they need to show that they have the concentration, and confidence, to pull on the Baggy Green again after such a length away.
