Former Australian Test great Mark Waugh feels Philip Hughes has the potential to be Australia’s new opener and fill in the shoes of Matthew Hayden, who retired recently.Waugh said a fit and firing Hughes was worthy of a spot for the series against South Africa. The former stylish batsman said that although Phil Jaques, the other opener in contention, hasn’t performed badly, he would go with the young 20-year old Hughes.“Jaques hasn't played a lot of Tests and hasn't done anything wrong, but I would be inclined to take the gamble and pick Hughes,” Waugh told Daily Telegraph."He (Hughes) looks a young, tough player who puts a high price on his wicket and can score runs in tough conditions like he did in Tasmania earlier this season, when he scored more than half of New South Wales’ runs in two innings," Waugh said.
Phil Jaques has been sidelined with a back injury since the start of the summer and will play club cricket this weekend before a return to NSW on January 30 in Newcastle.Waugh feels it takes some amount of time to get back in rhythm, and against a rejuvenated South Africa it would be a gamble to pick Jaques."It's not easy when you've been out of the game for so long. It takes a bit of time to get your match fitness back and to find form. It's not long before South Africa and it's a gamble in itself (to go with Jaques), so I'd pick Hughes for both South Africa and the Ashes" he said.Phil Jaques has an impressive average of 47 from 11 Test matches whereas Hughes has had a tremendous first-class season scoring 658 runs.
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