Who would replace David Warner in the Test side as the opener, once the southpaw retires? This question might have a hundred answers, but former Australia skipper Steve Waugh knows the right man for the job. While Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Matthew Renshaw were among the runs in the PMXI vs Pakistan match, but that cannot be the only criteria for the role.
Waugh also feels that these three batsmen don’t provide the long-term solution at the top of the order for Australia. “That’s the million-dollar question. Who’s going to be opening the batting with Usman Khawaja? And he’s probably not going to be around that long either,” Waugh told foxsports.com.au.
“But assuming he’s still there, I guess there’s the choice of Bancroft, Harris or Renshaw, they’re the three that I guess you think of foremost. And probably Bancroft has had the best form in the last 12 to 15 months at first-class level. But I’m not sure the selectors are totally sold on all or any of those. I just think that they may be looking elsewhere.”
Waugh feels that spot should be Cameron Green’s. “There’s not a lot of other options available, but I’d be seriously thinking of getting Cameron Green in to open the batting,” Waugh said.
“I want him in the team, because he just offers so much. He gives great balance because he bowls ten to 15 good overs, he’s a great fieldsman and I think his batting, he hasn’t quite nailed it yet, but when I (have) seen him, he’s got a good technique and he plays fast bowling well.
“And he’s batted at six so far and often you get the second new ball at six, so … I just think it could be a bit of a Shane Watson-type situation, so I’d seriously be looking at him, because I want him in the team. At the moment Mitch Marsh has obviously nailed that spot that he was in, so that’d be the way I’d possibly go.”