David Warner says he will be ready to claim his spot back for the upcoming Ashes series

Having returned home from India to rehabilitate his elbow, David Warner says he is certain he will be ready to re-take his place at the top of Australia’s Test batting order for the upcoming Ashes.

As the world debates his future a wounded David Warner remains defiant, saying he is “100 per cent” ready to reclaim his place at the top of the order for this year’s Ashes series.

The superstar batsman arrived home in Sydney on Thursday with wife Candice and their three daughters, as he begins rehabilitation on his fractured elbow.

Warner was wearing a bandage on his left forearm, with Candice pushing the heavy bags after the Test opener was ruled out of the rest of the Indian series due to a brutal blow he copped during the second Test.

Injury will limit the amount of practice Warner can do before he is expected to return to India for a three-match one-day international series next month.

Those one-dayers in India suddenly take on added importance for Warner, because if he was to strike form in the white ball game it would significantly enhance his claims for a farewell Ashes Test tour to the UK in the middle of the year.

Warner struggled in India before succumbing to an elbow injury. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

The mental freshen up of being home with family will also help Warner, after he spoke of his exhaustion coming out of a full home summer and Big Bash and heading straight into heavy-duty Tests in India.

After an ordinary tour of India, Warner was asked at the airport if he was feeling the pressure to retain his place.

“No I don’t. It’s easy pickings when you’re 36 going on 37 so I’ve seen it before with all the ex-players as well,” he said.

“I scored 200 a couple of weeks ago so I’m not in a rut.

“If I take pressure off the rest of the other guys and no one’s worrying about the rest of the team, I’m happy to do that.

“If the selectors feel that I’m not worthy of my spot then so be it and I can push on to the white-ball stuff.”

Australia heads to Indore next week for the third Test next Wednesday down 2-0 in the four-match series.

The team then tackles three ODIs starting on Match 17 in Mumbai.

Australia’s Ashes campaign begins on June 16 at Edgbaston.

ANALYSIS: WHO COULD ACTUALLY REPLACE WARNER?

Ben Horne

The question about the future of David Warner has been complicated by an even bigger question … who can replace him?

Test great Matthew Hayden has spotlighted the fact there is no obvious successor to open the batting for Australia at the Ashes in England later this year.

Unless Warner decides he’s had enough after his difficult and injury-curtailed tour of India, Australian selectors still need him to be part of the touring party flying to England for the winter.

David Warner (C) has a clouded future in the Australian team, and will not play again this series after suffering an elbow injury. Picture: AFP

The candidates to replace Warner at the top of the order are exceptionally thin.

There is Matthew Renshaw, who was born in England, has played plenty of county cricket in the UK, but has lost ground in India after two forgettable Tests.

Cameron Bancroft has reportedly been put on standby should Australia need to call in another cover batsman to replace Warner, and although he has a record as an extremely solid domestic cricketer, his two Test matches on the 2019 Ashes tour don’t inspire great confidence that he could take the team forward.

Marcus Harris was the reserve opener through the home summer, but has had Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and now potentially Bancroft, leapfrog him in the pecking order – although that may partly be because selectors feel he’s better off playing Sheffield Shield cricket.

Marcus Harris has had an unhappy time in the Australian Test team. Picture: Getty

Even if Harris is still part of plans, he has an average of 25.29 from 14 Test matches and hasn’t scored a hundred.

Travis Head showed something filling in for Warner in Delhi, but it would be a bold strategy to move the left-hander to open on seaming decks in England, when he is so valuable as a game-shaper at No.5.

Warner averaged 9.5 from his five Tests in England in 2019, and things won’t get any easier this time around with his nemesis Stuart Broad fresh from dismantling New Zealand by bowling their top four batsmen between bat and pad.

But this is the Ashes. It’s the biggest series in Test cricket. The most pressure. The most at stake.

Warner has a reputation as a big-game player who can deliver with his back against the wall. Picture: AFP

Warner might not be the force he once was, but he has experience and pedigree as a big match player.

On the 2015 Ashes tour he made five 50s and averaged 45.

If Australia’s next series was against the West Indies or Sri Lanka, you would think seriously about ushering in the next generation. But this is the Ashes.

Broad, James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Ollie Robinson represents a serious bowling attack.

Australia has some promising top order batsmen coming through the ranks in West Australian Teague Wyllie, Victorian Ashley Chandrasinghe and Tasmanian Tim Ward – but it would appear too early for all of them.

Each of them have a first-class century, but the Ashes would be the deepest of deep ends to be thrown into.

Zak Crawley opens the batting for England with a Test average of 28 from 32 matches and a first-class average of 30.22 from 91 games.

The bottom line is England is a rugged place for opening batsmen.

Can Warner use his injury blow as a chance to mentally freshen up for one last showdown?

Watch Australia’s Tour of India. Every Test & ODI live & ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >