Australia's familiar opening problems against the West Indies show the more things change — the more they stay the same

There had been a lot of change in Australia's batting line up coming into this Test.

There was a suggestion that this was the start of Australia's new batting era.

With Steve Smith injured, Marnus Labuschagne dropped and Australia stinging after a South African ambush in north west London, now was the time to chance one's arm.

And with these three Tests the only trials before the Ashes, it really is now or never.

With Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis thrown into the side together, there was a feeling that this was the start of the much-needed renewal of this Australian top order.

But as much as things change, they remain the same and, after a horror first hour that saw the Aussies reduced to 3-22 in the 16th over, it took two settled veterans to rescue the Australian blushes.

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That opening hour was, in short, a complete disaster for Australia.

Konstas was out for three. Green was out for three — having already been dropped on zero. Inglis was out for five.

Had Windies debutant Brandon King not suffered a case of the butter fingers at gully, Khawaja would had been added to that list for a total of just six as well — a dismissal that would have added to a trend of low scores for Australia's only stable column at the top of the order.

It was a desperately nervous start, the batters twitchy and uncertain on a deck that offered plenty of movement.

Those nerves may be understandable — but none of the problems are new.

Much in the way that Australia was struggling to reorder its batters the last time these two sides met in a Test series in 2024 following the retirement of David Warner, the Aussies were still in almost exactly the same place, none the wiser as to who should sit at the top of the order.

Since Warner's retirement the opening partners have come and gone for Khawaja — Smith, Labuschagne, Travis Head, Konstas and Nathan McSweeney — all taking their turns, a confused conveyor of curious options, none of which ever quite fitted.

Making a snap judgement of the prospects of this line up off the basis of one innings on a tough pitch away from home is absurd. On flatter Australian pitches this line up would likely excel. 

But even a two-paced pitch could not excuse some of the woeful top-order batting on display from some of Australia's new guard.

The hype around Konstas over the past 12 months meant that his return to the side to partner Khawaja was given a similar vibe to the Special Ks from the tennis world, but in its first iteration this series they ended up looking just as flaky as the breakfast cereal.

Konstas looked cagey, lasting just 14 nervous deliveries where he barely middled a single ball before being trapped LBW by the brilliant Shamar Joseph — albeit by a superb, seaming delivery of the type that openers are liable to be faced with.

Proponents of the 19-year-old's premature promotion to the Test side — this is just his 31st first-class innings from 17 matches and only his third Test match — will say his development into a free-hitting David Warner-esque opener needs challenges like this.

And they are right.

There is enough development to come from Konstas that making sweeping, grandiose statements based on a single innings in unfamiliar conditions in Bridgetown would be to assume every game he plays will be like that Boxing Day blast with which he flustered Jasprit Bumrah six months ago is his default, and unless he reverse sweeps every ball he faces, every innings is a failure.

Joseph was exceptional throughout the day, bowling to a plan and hitting a testing length to everyone, Australia's Gabba golem back to torment the Australian batters once again.

His delivery to bowl Beau Webster for 11 before tea was just about unplayable, deviating away and clipping the top of the off bail.

He should have had a second wicket in the same over he dismissed Konstas, finding the edge of Green's bat only to see debutant Brandon King shell a simple chance at gully.

Joseph tormented Green, beating his edge repeatedly, the West Australian guilty of playing way outside his body with the hard hands that cost him against South Africa at Lord's.

Despite seeing Khawaja dropped by his skipper at first slip during that spell, Joseph didn't let his head drop, finding the edge of Green's bat again to end his erratic stay, Justin Greaves taking a brilliant low catch at second slip.

The manner of the Australians' dismissals should give rise to some concerns about their suitability of batting at the top of the order against anything close to resembling a moving ball.

On a pitch that was clearly not as placid as had been advertised, all of Australia's top three were guilty of playing a long way from their bodies, inviting the edges that eventually cost Konstas and Green their wickets.

Konstas was trapped on the crease, non-existent footwork again his weakness, while Green was too desperate to get bat on ball, pushing his hands way outside the line and paid the price as a result.

Inglis had looked relatively comfortable while he was at the crease but a lack of patience saw him swing wildly at a short delivery that he skied, Shai Hope taking a simple catch.

Australia hadn't scored a single boundary inside the opening 15 overs, trapped inside a cage of doubt built by a muddled selection strategy and reinforced by the failures of the top order.

As is so often the case, it took Travis Head to come in and change the narrative with yet another magnificent 53.

As is his wont, Head dropped to one knee and slapped a wide delivery through the covers with a conviction that had been entirely lacking from the Aussie batters before him for his first runs off just the fifth delivery he faced.

That, the first boundary of the innings, came off the 96th ball of the match.

Head's masterful application of controlled aggression, cutting and scything anything wide of the stumps seemed to offer the necessary reset to Khawaja, who launched Alzarri Joseph over square leg for a massive six just three balls after Australia broke its boundary duck.

In all, Australia scored five boundaries in the next 16 balls, the shackles finally released by the old stagers.

Khawaja was far from his vintage best, his cagey footwork and instability in the shot lending itself to some muddled decisions and a host of false shots he was fortunate did not result in him losing his wicket long before he eventually departed for 47 — especially as he was dropped on 45.

His 128-ball stay was exactly what Australia needed, but you'd be hard pushed to say it was all plain sailing, and reflects an increasingly worrying trend.

The 38-year-old has scored just two centuries in his last 42 innings — although to be fair one of those was a massive double in Galle earlier this year.

The progression is only trending one way now, sadly.

Head though, was exceptional. Again.

Last time he played the West Indies he got a king pair for the first and only time in his Test career, the start of a rare slump when he scored just 80 runs in seven innings.

There was a degree of luck in his extended stay, the South Australian surviving a fearsome barrage from Shamar Joseph shortly before tea and only avoiding being given out for 53 by a charitable decision by third umpire Adrian Holdstock.

It was a good job that Head's luck held though, because outside him it was slim pickings from a batting perspective.