Ashes: Should Travis Head return to middle order? Warner opines
What's the story
Former Australian cricketer David Warner has backed Usman Khawaja to open in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide. Warner believes that having Travis Head at No. 5 would be a more challenging scenario for England. The decision comes as Australia's selectors weigh whether to recall Khawaja after his back spasms and where he should bat if he does return. He missed the second Test, where Head opened alongside Jake Weatherald. Notably, Australia are 2-0 up in the ongoing series.
Strategy debate
Warner's perspective on Australia's batting order
Warner, who will captain Sydney Thunder in the BBL, said he thinks Khawaja should come back into the team and move to the top of the order. He also suggested that Head should bat at No. 5, as this would be a more difficult situation for England. "That's probably a worse result for England, Travis Head going back down the order," Warner told reporters. Notably, Warner's suggestion comes despite Khawaja's poor returns in recent games.
Batting stats
Head's impressive record at No. 5
Head has an average of 41.46 at No. 5, where he has scored eight out of his 10 Test centuries. Three of those centuries have come on his home ground at Adelaide Oval. Warner also hinted that opening with Head could be an option when Khawaja retires, although he said there are no guarantees it would work in the long term. Notably, Head scored a fiery fourth-innings hundred while opening in the first Test of the ongoing Ashes series.
Future prospects
Warner's endorsement for future opening options
Warner has endorsed Matt Renshaw from Queensland as a potential long-term opener when Khawaja steps away from the game. He said, "We've got a lot of young [opening] talent there at the moment that's coming through." However, he also stressed the importance of experience and urged selectors to have faith in their players, including Jake Weatherald.
Opening woes
Australia's unsettled opening combination since Warner's retirement
Australia have struggled to find a consistent opening combination. Before Khawaja's injury, he had partnered with five different openers in 15 Tests. Unlike Warner, who spoke about his ideal career end point before the 2023 Ashes, Khawaja hasn't publicly discussed his plans for retirement or future aspirations beyond this series ending at SCG. Since the start of 2024 as per ESPNcricinfo, Khawaja has managed just 372 runs across 17 innings in Tests Down Under at an average of 24.80