Former English skipper Michael Vaughan believes Australia should keep foot to the floor and adopt a Bazball philosophy

When David Warner’s career ends, Australia has a decision to make - go with a traditional Test opener like Matt Renshaw or embrace the Bazball era and give Mitch Marsh a shot.

Anyone for a little slice of Bazball?

Australia’s selection of its new Test opener when David Warner retires next month has become a fork-in-the-road moment in which the selectors must choose between two vastly different philosophies.

This decision is more than just a routine call. It’s a style-setter. Australia basically has to decide what sort of Test side it wants to be.

The two standout choices in a race not over but nearing the finish line are the free-swinging Mitch Marsh or the more stoic Matt Renshaw who has edged ahead of Cam Bancroft and Marcus Harris.

The case for Marsh is that Usman Khawaja does best when he has a livewire at the other end. And even though Marsh has never been seen as a red-ball opener, his dad and brother opened so it’s in the blood and while his red-ball strike rate is not overly swift he can fire up if asked to. And it means Cameron Green can play as well.

Deep down Australia knows it will never find another Warner – an opener who can maintain a strike rate of 70 over 109 Tests – but Fox Cricket’s Michael Vaughan has said it would still do well to complement Khawaja with someone who can put their foot to the floor.

The contrasting case for Renshaw is that he is a more patient, classical opener who might be best suited to facing India’s Jasprit Bumrah and mesmerising swing king Mohammed Shami in a five-Test series next summer.

And, ultimately, that is where the true merit of this selection will be assessed because every child is likely to win a prize in the two-Test series against the woeful West Indies next month.

Australia has lost its past two home series to India. It simply has to find a way to win next summer.

Renshaw played Tests when he was just 20 and did solidly enough, has just scored a massive century against Pakistan for the Prime Minister’s XI, is a more worldly man than when he first played seven years ago and he’s great mates with Khawaja.

Matt Renshaw raises the bat after scoring a ton for the Prime Ministers XI against Pakistan in Canberra. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The temptation is to say Renshaw is actually a better replacement for Khawaja than Warner, but given how close he is to Khawaja the benefits of playing with his mate for a season or so before Khawaja leaves could be pronounced.

But it is a tough call.

Much as Australia likes to poke fun at England’s cavalier Bazball philosophy, the thing that caused most true aggravation about it was that it actually worked.

Had not it been for rain in Manchester, England probably would have beaten Australia 3-2 in the last Ashes. That is proof enough.

England’s openers showed the value of attacking the new ball and Marsh is that sort of player.

With four or five men in the slips cordon early there would be plenty of gaps for Marsh to try to exploit as a potential powder keg at the top of the order.

This batting selection is one of Australia’s most intriguing and important Test decisions for many years.

For a group of senior players nearing the end of the line, taking the Border-Gavaskar Trophy off India could be the last, and one of the most defining moments of their careers.

Originally published as Former English skipper Michael Vaughan believes Australia should keep foot to the floor and adopt a Bazball philosophy