The 17 man list has revealed what the management is looking for in building the next few of their test cricket journey. Adding David Warner to the list has put the whole work under scrutiny because there were better options available, not in terms of experience but in terms of recent form.
Warner had horrible tour to India where he struggled at everything that bowlers challenged him with, the only highlight of his recent career was his double ton against South Africa as the MCG.
While talking on Star Sports, David Warner said, “David Warner’s form has dropped off significantly over the last few years and he is 36 years of age so he is in the last bit of his career.”
“If they had an absolutely top notch, ready-made replacement, then there might have been a stronger case for leaving him out.”
“But if you look at those who are in the squad as kind of back-up openers – Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Harris – they are not really established Test-match openers. So they are desperate for Warner to have one last hurrah here in England.”
“I think the problem for David Warner is of course his form has not been good and his form in the last Ashes [in England], when he came unstuck against Stuart Broad, he averaged I think 9.5 in what was a pretty horrific series for him.”
“So he has got to banish all those bad memories and recent memories of England and try and finish strongly.”
“It is going to be his last Ashes tour and last Ashes series, in all probability, and he will want to finish on a high. He is, or has been, a high-class player for a long period of time.”
“They will want to keep the pressure on Warner for all kinds of reasons,” Michael Atherton said.