‘Handscomb as glovesman allows us to play the extra spinner’

Australia’s legendary former wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist has said that playing Peter Handscomb behind the wicket would allow Australia to field an extra spinner during the Bangladesh Tour.

Handcomb, who hit a century in Australia’s intra-squad match at Darwin had previously mentioned that he would be happy to play as an wicket-keeper in Bangladesh tour.

However, his top priority is to bat well for his side. With modern cricket leaning more and more towards versatility in order to beef up squad setup and variety, Handscomb’s ability could be crucial to Australia’s quest for performing well in the subcontinent.

Handscomb also had the opportunity to keep wicket during the intra-squad match where he kept behind the wicket to Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar and a fiery Patrick Cummins.

The opportunity to field an extra bowler will definitely entice the Aussie think tanks.

Gilchrist, while talking to News Corp said of Handscomb: "The opportunity to play the extra spin bowler, and if you can do it not necessarily at the cost of one of your seamers or an out-and-out batter, it becomes a realistic proposition.

"He's certainly very, very capable with the gloves and a foundation of having been a junior wicketkeeper is going to help him in regards to if he's going to have to do any long stints with it.”

Handcomb certainly have been able to fill in for Matthew Wade whenever Australia needed him. He kept wicket against Pakistan at the Sydney Test and also in two ODI’s against New Zealand when Wade was out with a back injury.

However, Gilchrist suggests that Australia have invested a lot of time to Wade being a top glovesman and believes he is an outstanding wicket-keeper.

Playing Handscomb as a wicket-keeper will allow Australia to perhaps play a third spinner in the form of Mitchell Swepson. Speculation suggests that the wickets in Bangladesh will be spin friendly and Swepson could add more depth to Australia’s bowling during the Bangladesh Tour.