New Delhi, Oct 23 2024-
Legendary Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy said he is firmly against David Warner coming out of retirement to open the batting for Australia in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, adding that the selectors need to commit towards future players.
Previously, Warner, who retired from international cricket after this year’s Men’s T20 World Cup in June, said to Australian media that he was prepared to come out of retirement for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and revealed about sending a text message to head coach Andrew McDonald.
“No (on Warner coming back for Australia). You’d need to commit to playing in the pathway if you’re going to play for Australia. Then Australia has to commit to its future. Are we going to go young men? Or are we going to go (elsewhere)?
“He’s found his Baggy Green and he wants to wear it again. I’d like to find out more about how this happened, whether he was just doing some media interviews and they said, ‘Would you consider coming back and filling that hole at the top or not?’, or, ‘Oh yeah, I’d do that’. It was either tongue-in-cheek or he answered a question and said, ‘Yeah, I’d do that for them’,” said Healy on SEN Radio.
With Australia looking to fill the vacancy to partner Usman Khawaja at the top after Steve Smith, who briefly filled the gap in Warner’s absence, moving back to number four, Healy said he would open with Mitch Marsh and bat wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis at number six.
“I’m waiting another week (before picking him). I’d like to see him make more free-flowing runs. I’m open to it, I like the young man theory. But at this stage, if they have to resort back to something else then I’m putting Mitchell Marsh to opener and I’m putting Josh Inglis in at six.
“No other batsman has made back-to-back hundreds so why aren’t we picking Inglis? We seem to be overlooking Josh Inglis in WA. He’s batting with his elbows out. Back-to-back hundreds, so he should make the team as a bat.”
Healy signed off by saying young opener Sam Konstas as a future player for the Test team after he hit a solid 43 against Victoria at the MCG in the Sheffield Shield. “The selectors will have an eye on what they know about a player, and they’ll know they are good enough to take the next step.
“Sometimes it’s this bit, the speculation, and the microscope prior to selection that’s harder than actually playing when you get there. You can relax, just play and do a job for your new team, which is Australia. Sam Konstas made 43 yesterday and it was a lot of hard work, the wicket’s not particularly easy, Scott Boland is going extremely well.
“He worked hard and got through a new type of innings for him, so that was good. Reports are he showed some pluck. Is pluck what we’re after? Or do we want a little bit more confidence or just pluck in the Australian side at this stage? I’m sure he can make it. Just tell him to go for it, play naturally and he could kill it.” (Agency)
