Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes Peter Handscomb's technique is becoming a liability after another unconvincing Ashes performance.
Handscomb has looked out of sorts on his return to Australian soil after successful stints on the subcontinent and a dream start to his Test career last summer.
The right-hander was out edging to the slips for 12 on day four of the pink-ball Ashes Test. His previous nine innings in first-class cricket had yielded an average of 26.
Handscomb's tendency to bat deep in the crease has left him vulnerable to being trapped lbw, and Vaughan questioned whether it was playing on his mind in Adelaide.
"The one obvious thing is he has just lost trust in his game," Vaughan said on the Nine Network.
"Not too sure what to do with his movements.
"One thing I would say to him, just try to keep the game simple. Make sure that you are still on the release of the ball. Bat out of your crease, don't bat too far back."
Speaking after the first Test in Brisbane, Handscomb said he had made adjustments to counter England's plans.
"I have batted deep in my crease for three years. I am not really that concerned," he said.
"I batted deep last year and managed to hit balls on the stumps and made lots of runs. Obviously I have got my plans, I just need to hit the ball, it's as simple as that."
It's unlikely selectors would be panicking about Handscomb's performance given his average of 47.35 in Tests.
But former England batsman Kevin Pietersen suspected England pacemen Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad had identified Handscomb as a target for dismissal.
"How do you concentrate with the ball when you are battling with your technique?," he said.
"In Test match cricket you've got to fiercely compete against the bowler. You've got to make the bowler think that you are in control.
"Broad and Anderson were really targeting him ... they knew he wasn't happy with his technique."
Share
