Ashes team selection: Is it time for Australia to drop David Warner

Having featured in 107 test matches reaching 8,343 total career runs with a highest of 335 against Pakistan in 2019, Warner has averaged just 23.6 across his six innings so far in the Ashes, which doesn’t look great when compared to the century and two half-centuries scored by fellow opener Usman Khawaja in the first two tests.

Now with Cameron Green returning from injury and Mitchell Marsh appearing solid with both bat and ball in hand, the Australian selectors may need to find a place for both all-rounders before the fourth Test.

Following his century in the first innings at Headingley; followed by his two wickets of Zac Crawley, Marsh has shown himself to be reliable and versatile in his first appearance since the 2019 Ashes, leaving head coach Andrew McDonald a selection headache before he leads his team over the Pennines from Headingley to Old Trafford.

Green (24) took three wickets from 19 overs which included three maidens before a minor hamstring injury put him out of the third Test. He also scored 84 runs in his four innings making him heavily favoured by captain Pat Cummins and the rest of the selectors suggesting that he may come straight back into the Australian attack.

Removing Warner would be a risk in a match in which the Australians can clinch the series but is it necessary to remove him from the spotlight, helping to clear his head before going again for the final test match at The Oval?

Undoubtedly Broad vs Warner has now become nothing but a psychological battle following the Australian’s average of less than ten in 2019 showing that it isn’t the first time he has let the battle with the Nottingham seamer affect his batting.

A second option would be to remove the inexperienced Todd Murphy after the 22-year-old made just his fifth test match appearance at Headingley following Nathan Lyon’s calf injury. The spin bowler has taken 15 wickets across those tests one of which came in the limited overs he bowled during the latest Ashes match.

The fast Old Trafford pitch may once again make him redundant, so would introducing the extra seam bowler in Cameron Green be the more sensible decision in what many consider to be a must-win for Australia?

Or would the use of both all-rounders boost the Australian bowling attack at a time when some key bowlers may need a rest deep into a long series that followed on from the World Test Championship final at The Kia Oval in June?

Carrying their responsibility with the bat in hand will also be a key factor in giving Australia more strength in depth further down their batting order, especially after No. 9 Cummins clinched victory for Australia late in the first test.

The final option is to replace both Warner and Murphy and introduce Marcus Harris who has made 14 test match appearances for Australia with the left-handed opener averaging 25 runs and as one of two other openers that Australia have at their disposal he stands as the safest option to replace Warner as a ready-made opener.

Similarly, to most Australian batters this summer he deployed his trade in the County Championship scoring two centuries and averaging 52 across five matches for Gloucestershire and showing his development as a player and how he has moved on since his woes in 2019 where he averaged just 9.66.

In the test match that Cummins has insisted Australia will finally ‘brush off’ England, the tourists need to make sure they get this selection right.