Brad Haddin’s place in the Australian Test team has been questioned for quite sometime now. But according to the 37-year-old wicketkeeper batsman, all the questions are being asked from the outside of the team and not from within.
He was in contention for Australia’s captaincy when Michael Clarke was ruled out of the current series against India before the selectors went for a long-term fix in 25-year-old Steve Smith. Not the one to hold grudges on missing out, Haddin said on Wednesday that the national selectors made the right decision in handing over the reins of the team to Smith.
"I think they have made a very brave and very good decision in giving Steve the captaincy," Haddin said. "I think it is the perfect time for him, he is on top of his game at the moment which is one thing you don't have to worry about being captain. He is a good leader, he is only young and he is going to get better and better in the role.
"It was an outstanding decision by Cricket Australia. He has got a good core group of senior guys to help him out if he needs it, but things are going well. He's got his own thoughts on the game, he is a good thinker about it, he still wants to learn. A very good decision," Haddin reiterated.
As for his own captaincy aspirations, Haddin said he was happy to fill in for Clarke in the final session of the first Test at Adelaide. "I would much rather you remember the last two hours I did in Adelaide rather than do it all the time," he said.
The worrying factor for Haddin in the last few Test matches has been his form with the bat. His highest score in the last 13 Test innings is 22. The man, however, is not losing any sleep over it yet.
"I think my preparation has been spot on. Leading into this summer I felt better than I did last summer," he said. "It's just about getting that luck at the start of your innings. If you get through that first bit you start to get into the rhythm of the game, then you work from there. I don't feel in bad touch, I just need to get some runs. That's as simple as it is.
"I'm not concerned about it. All my preparation and that has been spot on, I have just been out of runs," he said. "I am not stressed or too worried about it. The game will turn and it will go my way ... I don't feel it [pressure]. This game turns. I'd obviously like some more runs. I've been in this situation before."
With Mitchell Marsh out of the Boxing Day Test with injury, Joe Burns has been included in the side. Haddin was confident of the young batsman who opens the batting for Queensland.
"I think if you can bat in the top order in state cricket it holds you in good stead to bat anywhere for Australia," Haddin said. "That's where you're under pressure the most, you've got the new ball, you can get trying conditions there [in the Sheffield Shield].
"I haven't seen too much of Burns play. He seems pretty relaxed and understands his game. He's asked a lot of questions about cricket. He didn't know where to sit in the change room. I think he's suited to anywhere in the order because if you bat in that top three, second new ball at No.6, I think he'll handle it quite well,” he said.
