Australia opener David Warner’s place in the Ashes squad is uncertain, according to selectors’ boss George Bailey. Although the left-hander is being considered for the World Test Championship final against India in June, Bailey has declined to confirm Warner’s automatic inclusion in the Ashes squad. The selectors will announce a wider squad for the WTC final and the first two tests of the Ashes series in about two weeks.
Warner has struggled for runs in recent tests, except for his defiant 200 against South Africa in December. In the recent tour of India, he made a total of 26 runs in three innings before returning home injured. Despite this, head coach and selector Andrew McDonald said last month that Warner was in Australia’s plans for the WTC final.
Warner was included in Cricket Australia’s list of 24 nationally contracted players on Thursday, but Bailey did not explicitly endorse him for the Ashes. Bailey said that Warner, like any player, is at the mercy of selection and that the Ashes is a huge series where the best team will be chosen to challenge England. Bailey also endorsed McDonald’s point that England is a different team to India.
Warner’s performance in the 2019 Ashes in England was his worst ever by an opener to play 10 innings in a series, averaging 9.50. Travis Head replaced him at the top of the order in India and batted superbly in the last two tests, but selectors said his promotion was a short-term fix.
Opener Marcus Harris was a surprise inclusion in the list of contracted players, having played the last of his 14 tests against England in January 2022. Matt Renshaw, another opener, and middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb were overlooked despite both playing in India.
Bailey said that Renshaw and Handscomb played in India because of their skill-sets, but Harris was contracted with English conditions in mind, along with the home tests and a tour of New Zealand next year. Harris has averaged 19.75 in seven tests against England, compared to a career average of 25.29.
Bailey also pointed out that England is a different team to India, and that the selectors will have to pick their best team to challenge them over there. He stated that they are a couple of weeks away from announcing the squad and that he supports McDonald’s comments on Warner.
In conclusion, while David Warner is being considered for the World Test Championship final against India, his place in the Ashes squad is uncertain. Bailey has declined to back him as an automatic inclusion, stating that he is at the mercy of selection. The selectors will pick the best team to challenge England, who are playing well at the moment. Harris is being considered for English conditions in mind, along with the home tests and a tour of New Zealand next year. The selectors are a couple of weeks away from announcing the squad.
Picture Credit: Nine’s Wide World of Sports
