The one question hanging over Test 'dark horse'

Tim Paine has declared the bolter he’d like to see return for Australia this summer as the side prepares for two Test series’ against Pakistan and West Indies.

Australia’s fast bowling stocks are unlikely to change too much with Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland all fit and firing.

However a gruelling year which has included a four-Test series against India, the Ashes and ODI World Cup might lead to resting with all-rounder Michael Neser likely to be in the mix too.

While Australia is spoilt for depth in the fast bowling ranks, the former Test captain would like to see the re-emergence of one of Australia’s best young talents in Jhye Richardson.

“For a dark horse, there’s probably not too many,” Paine said on SEN.

“There are not too many spots up for grabs, is there?

“What I’d like to see … but he needs to be on the park, and he needs to be fit and bowling well (is Jhye Richardson).

Jhye Richardson celebrates the wicket of Jimmy Anderson.

“If you wanted to rest any of our fast bowlers, they’ve had a huge workload again, I’d love to see Jhye Richardson back in the mix.

“He hasn’t been on the field enough to push his case. But if he can get in some shape and bowl at his best, he’s someone that I can certainly see playing a role for Australia at some stage, if his body holds up.”

Twenty-seven-year-old Richardson last played Test cricket in 2021 and is yet to play Sheffield Shield this season either. His last game for Western Australia in first class cricket was November 2022 while he has played in the Marsh one-day cup this season.

Australia’s Test series against Pakistan starts December 14 at Perth with three matches to be played.

The West Indies will be a two-Test series, with the first match at Adelaide on January 17.

Tim Paine hopes to see Jhye Richardson return for Australia.

Paine believes the Pakistan series has the potential to challenge Australia, but wasn’t optimistic about the West Indies fixtures.

“I think there will be a little peak early because of the World Cup win,” he said.

“We play Pakistan first, that should be and could be a decent series. Haris Rauf’s unfortunately pulled out, he would’ve had some good speed to watch, that’s always exciting to watch fast bowlers going at the best batters in the world, which we do have.

“On Australian bouncy wickets, he would’ve been great to watch with the red ball but unfortunately he’s not in but they’ve still got Shaheen Afridi … (but) if they start badly and our quicks start to rip through their top order, it could be short work.

“With the West Indies … I think we’ll take care of both of them, pretty comfortably.

“What I will say, I’ve said it a lot about Pakistan is they have the talent and they’ve got a new coaching structure, normally when something like that happens in Pakistan, they do perform for a little bit, but we’ll wait and see.”