How about this.
MJ Clarke. Batting stats by position.
Overall, 75 Tests, 17 hundreds, 5261 runs in 125 innings @ 46.97 - pretty good, but I'd say below his potential. He should be averaging 50-52.
Batting at #5... 75 innings (the equivalent of 45-odd Tests), 14 hundreds, 3837 runs @ 57.27 with centuries against every proper Test team and in all conditions.
If we were talking about a batsmen who averaged 57+ after 45 Tests and was just over 30 we'd be wondering how much longer we'd need to wait before declaring him an all-time great.
Moral? KEEP HIM THERE.
Don't let impressive-sounding, warm-fuzzy notions about what "leaders are supposed to do" cloud our judgment about the fact that it's not worth trading an ATG batsmen for a mediocre/poor one to satisfy some bizarre craving.
Captains are supposed to score as many runs as they can for their team (batting captains, that is). That's what Clarke will do at #5. Doing so will stabilize the middle order and give everyone else the confidence that comes from seeing him play a knock like that 151 a few weeks back.
Yes, the top order needs work. That's what Marsh, Khawaja, Watson are for. We don't need Clarke to bat 4.
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