Thankfully, the murky waters of Test team selection are clearing by the day.

While the bowlers more or less pick themselves, pundits and punters have been clashing over the make-up of the batting order for months now. Algorithms have been consulted and selectors have prevaricated.

Marnus Labuschagne is back in form. Matt Renshaw has been elevated to the ODI team, having regathered his mojo. Sam Konstas isn’t making enough (at the moment), and Usman Khawaja has been guaranteed his spot despite a lengthy run of below-average scores. Head, Green and/or Webster are in, then keeper Carey and the bowlers. Perennial tourist Sean Abbott can fulfil 12th man duties.

Sounds adequate? I reckon it’s good enough.

Pat Cummins’s return to the top of his mark has been the subject of most conjecture due to the rate at which his back is healing rather than queries around form. The captain is an all-time great and there is little use fretting further over which Test match he will re-emerge in – he will be back when he wants to be back.

Pat Cummins is unlikely to play in the first Test against England because of back troubles.Credit: AP

We should bother ourselves more with the living and available. Fortunately, Scott Boland’s record on Australian pitches suggests England cannot take a single relieving breath. But beyond Boland, the staff are less obvious.

Curiously,

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