Why David Warner must open the batting for Australia at the World Cup
Australia learned the hard way three years ago that David Warner must open the batting. But with a plethora of choices to open at the World Cup in June, will Aussie selectors take heed of history?
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Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.
Selectors are not philosophers but cricket’s wise men ought to keep in mind Australia’s last World Cup disaster as they ponder dumping David Warner to No.3.
Usman Khawaja’s outstanding record as a one-day opener has Australia seriously considering sticking with the in-form left-hander and Aaron Finch at the top of the order for the upcoming World Cup, and relying on Warner’s versatility as justification for keeping him waiting in the shed.
The argument sounds good in theory, and the fact Khawaja averages well over 50 as an opener, and less than half that as a No.3 can’t be completely ignored.
But Australia has seen this movie before, and it didn’t end well last time around.
At the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup, Australia felt that Khawaja and Shane Watson might not be able to get going if they weren’t opening, and so they formed their game plan around that logic, with Warner shifting further down.
But for the sake of giving two in-form players their best chance to prosper, all Australia succeeded in doing was blunting their No.1 weapon.
Warner made just 38 runs from four innings at an average of 9.50 and Australia were bundled out in the group stage.
By the end of the tournament, then-captain Steve Smith was forced to concede: “He’s probably best suited at the top of the order.”
Khawaja has been outstanding the past couple of months. He has the rhythm at the crease Australia was lacking and he has proven he should have been persisted with at ODI level all along.
But the No.1 rule in sport is do what your opposition don’t want you to do.
And there would be some relieved sides at the World Cup if Warner wasn’t sighted during the first 10-20 overs.
Australia cannot afford to fall into the trap of prioritising Warner’s versatility over the very reason why he has been seen as such an automatic selection after 12 months out of the game: his unique ability to take the game away from an opposition.
Khawaja would be best suited as Finch’s opening partner – their record in India and Pakistan of late is the better of any Australian top order stand in ODI history.
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But moving Warner away from his most dominant position leaves Australia vulnerable to some agonising what ifs in a World Cup that’s tipped to be the most high-scoring in history on flat and small English grounds.
Shaun Marsh made hundreds against England in the UK last year, but Australia was still ambushed by the big-hitting Poms in a chastening 5-0 whitewash.
The other fact that can’t be underestimated is Warner and Finch’s history together.
They were Australia’s openers at the last 50-over World Cup triumph four years ago and have known each other since they were 14.
If Khawaja maintains his stellar form against India and Pakistan it shouldn’t matter where he bats.
But Australia could risk leaving a World Cup on the table if Warner isn’t given every opportunity to exert his influence.
Originally published as Why David Warner must open the batting for Australia at the World Cup
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