Is Ed Cowan good enough to open the batting for Australia?

[from_the_stands]

There's been a bit of a public spat that has developed recently in the Oz media between Aussie opener Ed Cowan and former Test captain Ian Chappell.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/ed-cowan-hits-back-at-former-test-captain-ian-chappell-and-says-he-is-contributing-to-the-australian-team/story-e6frfg8o-1226533856855

In his weekly News Limited column on Sunday, Chappell called for a re-shaping of Australia's top order, believing the Test outfit would be a more potent batting line-up with a David Warner-Shane Watson opening alliance in the post-Ricky Ponting era.

Chappell did not mention Cowan specifically, but his decision to opt for Watson was a palpable sign one of Australia's finest leaders believes there are better options than the Tasmanian to open the batting.

There has generally been quite a bit of debate over whether Ed Cowan is good enough to open for Australia. Is he? In 10 Test matches, he averages around 34. Take away his Brisbane century, and his average is 28.125, which isn't even close to the mark IMHO. Some say that it's still early days for the adopted Tasmanian. Will he come good, or is he simply not good enough for Test cricket?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Depends. Compared with Watson, maybe.

Will we see him again in the series? Either series?

He may not be Sunil Gavaskar, but neither are Watson, Hughes, Warner or Rogers. But I sense Australia have made it difficult for themselves to go back to him having discarded him so summarily.

[rich1uk]

well you would have to say atm the answer is no given hes not in the team and the games he did play he didn't open

and if he is given another chance it would probably say more about the deficiencies of others rather than any real confidence in him

[Alviro Patterson]

Ed Cowan is as good enough to open the batting for Australia as Joe Sayers is good enough to open the batting for England.

[Mr.Cricket]

Certainly a good option than Flopson at the moment.But with warner scoring runs as opener he will certainly open in next test leaving no place for Cowan.