Warner issue unearths sobering Aussie reality

1 year ago 87

Usman Khawaja has shone the spotlight connected a sobering world for Australian cricket arsenic questions implicit his opening spouse linger.

The lean signifier of David Warner successful caller times has enactment the taxable of his Test status firmly successful the headlines.

He is 36-years-old - the aforesaid property Khawaja volition go connected Sunday - but Warner's 2022 scorecard looks markedly antithetic to his chap left-hander.

Khawaja has amassed an unthinkable 1066 runs this twelvemonth which includes 4 centuries for Australia. Warner has scored lone 368 runs successful 9 matches successful 2022, and has not scored a period successful astir 3 years.

Warner volition enactment up astatine the Gabba against South Africa connected Saturday, and is as bully arsenic assured his spot for the remaining 2 Tests this summer.

But with tours to India and England adjacent twelvemonth looming, there's been suggestions Australian selectors should determination to find a replacement for the swashbuckling veteran.

But, according to Khawaja, that task is not truthful easy.

"I look astatine it from a wider perspective," Khawaja told media successful Brisbane.

"I've played home cricket for the past fewer years, I've seen what's around, we person immoderate truly bully cricketers coming up... but we've got nary David Warners.

"I deliberation the batting line-up we person close now, the apical six, are the apical six players successful the country.

"A fewer games present doesn't truly marque a quality for me, if you person the prime betwixt picking David Warner oregon idiosyncratic other I'd beryllium picking David Warner each time of the week.

Warner's Test spot harmless for now

"I deliberation the absorption players cognize that too, due to the fact that they cognize however rapidly helium tin crook a game. I conscionable presume he's going to marque runs sooner alternatively than later."

Australia's spare batter successful the existent Test squad is Marcus Harris, who has been talented 14 matches for his state but ne'er reached triple figures, for a alternatively measly mean of 25.29.

Matthew Renshaw played the past of his 11 Tests successful 2018 and averages 33.47 successful the format, portion young Victorian prodigy Will Pucovski scored 62 connected his Test debut successful January 21 but has been plagued by concussion issues since.

Pucovski was considered a semipermanent opening batter for the Australian Test squad but his aboriginal successful the athletics remains nether a cloud.

In India, Warner averages lone 24.25 - down connected his wide Test mean of 46.04 - portion successful England helium averages 26.04.

He endured a fearfulness 2019 Ashes run successful the parent state wherever helium averaged little than 10.

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