Michael Di Venuto, the batting coach for Australia, faces scrutiny following the top order’s dismal performance in the Boxing Day Test. Having held the position for at least five years, Di Venuto’s coaching methods have come under fire from former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, who has voiced concerns about the team’s batting techniques and overall development.
In recent Tests — most notably the current Ashes series — Australia’s batting order has crumbled catastrophically. This has led Hayden to recently wonder whether Di Venuto’s coaching methods are even working. He jokingly pointed out some of his faster bowlers seemed to show more method in their batting way then despite being tutored by Di Venuto.
They should be better than that,” said Hayden, underscoring the need for a heightened level of construction team performance. His criticism reflects a broader concern regarding the technical difficulties faced by the Australian batting unit, particularly in high-pressure situations.
Such is Di Venuto’s influence that he has already guided emerging stars like Travis Head, Steve Smith and Cameron Green. For Cameron Green, the pressure is mounting to hold on to his place in the side for the fifth Test. This reality begs a larger question about whether Di Venuto’s approach really fosters the creative talent and fierce resilience that makes for great batters.
In the first innings of the recent Test, Michael Neser managed to top-score with 35 runs, while Usman Khawaja was the only other player to surpass 20 runs. These figures underline the significant challenges faced by Australia’s batting order, raising further doubts about Di Venuto’s effectiveness as a coach.
Hayden’s concerns extend beyond individual performances. He noted, “The faceless man in this cricket team is always an issue,” suggesting that Di Venuto’s role may not be adequately addressing the needs of the players. He added, “I just think for too long there has been an influence in this group around batting, and I don’t feel it’s served the development of the team or the technical element of Test cricket.”
Such is the combination of these factors that it has left many wondering about Di Venuto’s future as Australia’s batting coach. Hayden is on a crusade of his own to change that. Now, the hope is that Cricket Australia will act on the growing demand for a serious reconsideration of the coaching staff.
