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After a terrific home Ashes that was vital in getting us the series win and some excellent form with the gloves, Brad Haddin has averaged just 18 this year from 5 matches and 9 innings with a single half century. It's the worst haul in his career by a significant margin but in spite of that he looks to be keeping as well as he has at any point in his career. It's an interesting change of fortunes, his glovework is clearly providing most value to the side while at 7 he is proving nothing but a speed bump recently. It probably proves two things, keepers must make runs these days (as we all knew) but more importantly the end is probably just around the corner for Haddin.
So the question is, unless his form turns when is the time to tap him on the shoulder? He does provide a significant amount of leadership which will be missed but Smith is almost ready to take on more responsibility around the group (in an unofficial capacity) while the leadership Johnson and Siddle provides has improved immeasurably (I'd be happy with either stepping into the vice captaincy position as Gilchrist and Healy did until Smith is ready to be officially groomed). I'd send Haddin off after the test series against India and finish up with a swansong at the home World Cup which is a fairly fitting ending to a very solid career.
There are two main names in my mind who I could see stepping in, Peter Nevill and Sam Whiteman. Nevill is very neat with the gloves, the best in Australia behind Hartley and is mature enough to step in and perform at age 29. His batting is solid if not spectacular (averages 39 in the Shield) and has played as a specialist batsman in the past but he won't be an Adam Gilchrist, nor can I see him matching the exploits of Brad Haddin with the bat. He isn't a natural counterattacker but he values his wicket, plays well with the tail and is solid technically. I can see him stepping up to the test side and putting up similar stats to Ian Healy. Has a nice relationship with both Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe also.
The other is 22 year old Sam Whiteman from Western Australia, English born, he has the potential to be the best all-round keeper we've ever had behind Adam Gilchrist in my mind. I first saw him bat and instantly wanted him to give up the gloves because he had so much potential. A lovely technician and stylish to watch, he plays pace bowling beautifully flicking off his pads with a wristy flourish, driving handsomely, pulls, cuts and is extremely solid in defence. He isn't as explosive as Gilchrist but is a more technically correct player, has that elegance that all up-right left handers seem to be born with, I liken him to Michael Vaughan or Michael Hussey. Now I say I wanted him to give up the gloves the first time I saw him bat because I thought he could play 100 tests at number 4...that was before I saw him keep. With the gloves he is one of those guys who are just a class above at in the same way Tim Paine looked before his hand injury. He has that economy of movement and ease that the really great keepers do, with the gloves he is already ahead of any level Gilchrist and Haddin ever got to. He is absolutely fantastic up to the spinners and has no glaring issues back to pace, just an outstanding gloveman. I have two concerns with Sam, is his game best utilised at 7 and is he ready? He has only played 21 first class for 1 century and 9 half centuries...despite that he finished 6th on the Shield run tally year with 680 runs at 47 and his 45 dismissals were the most of any keeper in just his second year of first class cricket.
What are your thoughts on Haddin, if/when he should go and who is best to replace him
So the question is, unless his form turns when is the time to tap him on the shoulder? He does provide a significant amount of leadership which will be missed but Smith is almost ready to take on more responsibility around the group (in an unofficial capacity) while the leadership Johnson and Siddle provides has improved immeasurably (I'd be happy with either stepping into the vice captaincy position as Gilchrist and Healy did until Smith is ready to be officially groomed). I'd send Haddin off after the test series against India and finish up with a swansong at the home World Cup which is a fairly fitting ending to a very solid career.
There are two main names in my mind who I could see stepping in, Peter Nevill and Sam Whiteman. Nevill is very neat with the gloves, the best in Australia behind Hartley and is mature enough to step in and perform at age 29. His batting is solid if not spectacular (averages 39 in the Shield) and has played as a specialist batsman in the past but he won't be an Adam Gilchrist, nor can I see him matching the exploits of Brad Haddin with the bat. He isn't a natural counterattacker but he values his wicket, plays well with the tail and is solid technically. I can see him stepping up to the test side and putting up similar stats to Ian Healy. Has a nice relationship with both Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe also.
The other is 22 year old Sam Whiteman from Western Australia, English born, he has the potential to be the best all-round keeper we've ever had behind Adam Gilchrist in my mind. I first saw him bat and instantly wanted him to give up the gloves because he had so much potential. A lovely technician and stylish to watch, he plays pace bowling beautifully flicking off his pads with a wristy flourish, driving handsomely, pulls, cuts and is extremely solid in defence. He isn't as explosive as Gilchrist but is a more technically correct player, has that elegance that all up-right left handers seem to be born with, I liken him to Michael Vaughan or Michael Hussey. Now I say I wanted him to give up the gloves the first time I saw him bat because I thought he could play 100 tests at number 4...that was before I saw him keep. With the gloves he is one of those guys who are just a class above at in the same way Tim Paine looked before his hand injury. He has that economy of movement and ease that the really great keepers do, with the gloves he is already ahead of any level Gilchrist and Haddin ever got to. He is absolutely fantastic up to the spinners and has no glaring issues back to pace, just an outstanding gloveman. I have two concerns with Sam, is his game best utilised at 7 and is he ready? He has only played 21 first class for 1 century and 9 half centuries...despite that he finished 6th on the Shield run tally year with 680 runs at 47 and his 45 dismissals were the most of any keeper in just his second year of first class cricket.
What are your thoughts on Haddin, if/when he should go and who is best to replace him
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