Handscomb keeps perspective in prolonged purple patch

Peter Handscomb may have raised his bat more times than any player this year, but he knows timing is everything when it comes to national selection.

While the current stand-in Victorian captain is well and truly in the mix for a berth in Australia's Test squad for next year's tour of Sri Lanka, he also has a case to feel unlucky he's not in the one that assembled in Perth on Sunday.

Josh Inglis got the nod as the squad's reserve batter for the first Test against India beginning Friday, but Tasmanian Beau Webster and Handscomb are among those on the fringe who chief selector George Bailey says "are putting their hands up" if required during the summer.

The 33-year-old right-hander complied a pair of 56's over the past four days, the second of those unbeaten to guide Victoria to their first win in four matches against reigning champions Western Australia.

The knock was Handscomb's 15th score of 50 or more in first-class cricket this calendar year, more than any other batter in the world so far in 2024.

"I feel good, I have felt good now for a number of years," Handscomb said on Monday following Victoria's eight-wicket win.

"I've been trying to put as many scores on the board as I can but also understanding that it's a very, very fickle game and it can easily turn around and you can be out of form.

"I'm just trying to make the most of every opportunity where I can to score runs but then also understanding that those failures come and not dwelling too much on them."

Handscomb says he wasn't concerned about missing Australia A's recent two-match series against India A, with selectors indicating they "didn't need to see" the 20 Test-capped batter in the A set up to know what he is capable of.

He played all four Tests during last year's Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in India, scoring 72 not out in the second match in Delhi.

Handscomb is renowned as one of the country's best batters against spin, which puts him in the frame for the Sri Lanka tour, but with 3900 runs since the start of 2022 – the most of any Australian batter in the first-class format – he's a proven performer in all conditions.

He topped Leicestershire's runs tally for the 2024 County Championship campaign with 894 at 74.50 before beginning the Australian domestic season with a century against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield's opening round.

While the 'A' series was taking place in Mackay and Melbourne, Handscomb peeled off another ton in a one-dayer against South Australia in Adelaide.

"It's all well and good being thought of for a future tour but if you're not making runs going into that tour then it really doesn't matter," he said.

"I'll be trying as hard as I can to keep going and make runs for as long as possible and then if that results in a tour then I'll be ecstatic."

Handscomb also praised teammate Marcus Harris, who put being overlooked for his own Test recall last week behind him with scores of 47 and 56no, securing Victoria's first Shield win over WA since March 2023 with a six over long on off Corey Rocchiccioli.

"It's never easy when all the media attention is around you for a number of weeks and that external pressure and then, unfortunately, he didn't get the nod," Handscomb said.

"But he's been batting beautifully.

"That first innings at the MCG (74 against India A) he batted sensationally … hopefully for him, he can just keep doing it.

"It's nice (he hit the) winning runs as well, it's just a reminder of how good he is."

The win took Victoria to the top of the Sheffield Shield standings where they hold a lead of 0.11 points over WA heading into their round five day-night clash with Queensland at the Gabba.

Sheffield Shield standings 2024-25

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 South Australia Men SA	6	3	1	2	0	0	4.63	5.3	29.93
2 Victoria Men VIC	6	3	2	1	0	0	3.76	5.3	28.06
3 NSW Men NSW	6	2	2	2	0	0	5.5	4.7	24.2
4 Western Australia Men WA	6	2	2	2	0	0	5.11	4.8	23.91
5 Queensland Bulls QLD	6	1	2	3	0	0	4.71	5.6	19.31
6 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	6	1	3	2	0	0	6.05	4.6	18.65

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points