As Australia’s Test selectors scour the cupboards for an opener to replace David Warner, the man himself has put his hand up for a shock return.
Warner’s retirement last summer left Australia with question marks over who would open alongside Usman Khawaja.
After a brief, four-Test experiment up top, Steve Smith will return to number four when Australia meets India in five Tests this summer, leaving coach Andrew McDonald and chairman of selectors George Bailey with a major headache at the top of the order.
But Warner told News Corp: “I’m always available, [they’ve] just got to pick up the phone.”
While he is probably at least half joking and it may sound extreme given Warner retired from Tests after the third game against Pakistan at the SCG in January, the 37-year-old said he is not that far behind the eight-ball in terms of recent red-ball experience.
“I’m always dead serious. Let’s be honest, the guys have played one red-ball game [first round of Sheffield Shield] since their last Test matches in February, so I’ve almost had the same preparation,” he said, although most candidates are currently in the middle of their second Shield game this season.
“Honestly, if they really needed myself for this series, I’m more than happy to play the next Shield game and go out there and play.
“I did retire for the right reasons to finish the game, and I wanted to finish. [But] my hand is up if they desperately need someone. I’m not going to shy away from that.”
Warner said he had “cheekily messaged” McDonald and Bailey, and the coach reminded him he retired.
“I don’t think he wants to give me the pleasure of him saying ‘can you come back?’,” Warner said.
The selectors may be getting desperate as no opener has truly starred to start the summer.
Victorian Marcus Harris, who was next man up behind Warner for years, scored 143 and 52 to open the season before being dismissed for 26 and 16 against NSW.
Experienced South Australian Henry Hunt also notched a century, while 19-year-old New South Welshman Sam Konstas scored duel tons in just his fifth first-class game.
Warner suggested selectors could look elsewhere in the top order for his replacement while waiting for someone like Konstas to come of age.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be an opener. I think you can have someone else that can come in and bat three and Marnus [Labuschagne] could open,” he said.
“Is Nathan McSweeney [55, 127*, 37 and 72 for SA] a good enough player to come in and bat 3?
“Konstas can definitely in time be that long-term opening batsman … but I think you still have to see a little bit more.”
Smith and many of Australia’s other established players will miss the next round of Shield games due to the limited-overs series against Pakistan from November 4, before the five-Test series with India starts on November 22.
