Nine into seven? Green's return triggers awkward questions

Cricket Australia's contract list is official and as always there's winners and losers.

While other nations continue to prioritise T20 cricket, Australia still obsesses over what the list means for Test cricket.

Does Mitch Marsh still have a future? Is Sam Konstas a lock for the World Test Championship? Has Todd Murphy officially been usurped as the second-choice spinner?

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All valid question and all intriguing plot lines to what lies ahead as Australia prepares to defend its WTC title, tour the West Indies and then win The Ashes on home soil.

Wide World of Sports takes a look at the emerging storylines and what the future is for Andrew McDonald's men. 

Is Marsh really still a chance to revive his Test career?

Absolutely. Under the leadership of Pat Cummins, the Australian side has always been one of unity and Marsh is a big part of that.

His team-first mentality has been a feature even when he's not in the team, summed up by his embrace of Beau Webster's parents when the all-rounder debuted in his place.

How Marsh fits into the future Test side brings curiosity though. If he was to return it appears his bowling would be limited, so a specialist batter might be the way. After a back injury ruled him out of the Champions Trophy, he's now only available as a batter in the IPL.

When quizzed on the contract list, chairman of selectors George Bailey confirmed Marsh's red-ball career isn't over and flagged he would be of use for the Ashes.

"If you look ahead to a team like England and the way they play their cricket, the way they seem to be framing up their team, I think he's got a skill set there that could be helpful," he said.

In terms of an all-rounder spot, Marsh has a logjam ahead of him. Beau Webster performed well to start his Test career and Cam Green is on track to play the WTC but is unlikely to bowl until the Ashes.

The batters? Steve Smith, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja aren't going anywhere in the short-term. Marnus Labuschagne remains under pressure while there's curiosity about whether Sam Konstas will open with Khawaja.

Does the Konstas call mean anything for Marnus?

The inclusion of Konstas means Cricket Australia are backing their new sensation. A connection in a News Corp column was made between this and Marnus Labuschagne losing his spot.

The connection would come from the inclusion of Cam Green. If Konstas and Khawaja open, then you'd think Smith, Head and Carey are the other certainties in that top seven.

That leaves Labuschagne, Green, Webster and even Josh Inglis fighting for a spot. Nine doesn't go into seven.

It's a tough spot that selectors now find themselves in for the WTC. If Green is ready to bat, he's right in the frame. Could Smith go to three, Green at four and Webster at six?

You'd think that may upset the apple cart a tad and Green could be the unlucky one to miss out. His form in the UK's County Championship is a big watch.

Labuschagne's form has been a hot topic for over a year as he searches for his first ton since 2023.

A duck and 61 for Queensland in the recent Sheffield Shield final opened up more questions than answers for former Test opener Ed Cowan.

"I'm starting to really wonder if this form evolution of Marnus is a bit more of a reversion to a mean and those years (early on) were actually outlier years because there's not much in his batting at the moment that suggests top 10 batter in the world," he said on the ABC's Grandstand Cricket podcast.

Who partners Khawaja in the Ashes if Konstas' form runs cold?

To state the obvious, it'll depend on form. The names like Matt Renshaw, Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Henry Hunt always seemingly appear in these pieces but they have fallen away in the selectors' minds. And Nathan McSweeney isn't an opener.

Australia may have to get funky with their batting line-up again but it's unlikely Smith would push back up there again, such was his amazing form back in his preferred spot of No.4. Australia has an abundance of talent in the middle order, so it may just be a plan to pick and stick with Konstas, regardless of the results.

Where does Lance Morris sit in the bowling chart?

He has been touted as the next big thing for some time.

The fast bowler was barely sighted in Australian colours this summer apart from the ODIs against Pakistan. Morris has had his injury battles early in his career and it was his West Australian teammate Jhye Richardson that appeared to pip him in the pecking order when he was named in an extended squad for the Aussies against India.

Michael Neser is always thereabouts too and Scott Boland is Scott Boland. 

Morris managed to feature in four Sheffield Shield matches this season and came away with 13 wickets at 20.84. 

Asked about Richardson and Morris, Bailey hoped both would be "in the mix for Test positions this summer", pointing out the investment put into those players over time as a reason for contracts. 

"It's no secret the Test bowling group will undergo a little bit of transition over the next period," he said.

"When we've seen them at their best and getting an extended run at red-ball cricket they have pretty exciting skillsets but they've both had, very different, setbacks and challenges along the way and I think getting your body right to be robust enough to be a consistent candidate for cricket is a challenge.

"But we're invested in that journey, when they are up and going we like what they provide."

Will Lyon need a partner this year? 

When Nathan Lyon went down in the 2023 Ashes, Todd Murphy emerged as his replacement and possibly the man to succeed him. 

Fast forward to now, Murphy has missed out on a contract and Matt Kuhnemann is the man. Kuhnemann shone in Sri Lanka and at 28 has plenty of cricket left in him.

But does Lyon need a spin twin outside the Subcontinent?

You could almost put your whole life's savings on Australia's WTC bowling line-up being Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Lyon.

In terms of The Ashes, Lyon was barely used this summer against India and it's rare to ever see two spinners at home.

That leaves the West Indies. In 2015 when Australia won the series 2-0, Lyon was the only frontline spinner picked. Steve Smith, Adam Voges and Michael Clarke all bowled overs but Smith was the only one who picked up a wicket.

Lyon claimed 1-20 and 2-67 at Roseau, Dominica. At Kingston he took 3-55 and 2-12.

When South Africa went there in August 2024, Keshav Maharaj took eight wickets as the frontline spinner at Port of Spain in the first Test.

Aiden Markram chipped in with one as the all-rounder. 

Interestingly for the second Test at Providence, Guyana, Dane Piedt was picked alongside Maharaj. The West Indies were skittled in the first Test for 144 and Piedt didn't bowl but Mahraj took two. Piedt chipped in with 2-50 in the second innings while Maharaj was in the wickets again with three.

However, with Beau Webster around, and if picked, you'd think Australia has a decent enough option for more spin if needed.