David Warner to keep his Test place according to former coach

David Warner was out for a pair of ducks in Manchester in 2019 and his spot in the side is a hot topic ahead of the fourth Ashes Test.

David Warner battled in the third Test at Headingley. Picture: Paul Ellis / AFP

Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann is confident selectors will give veteran opener David Warner one more chance in the fourth Ashes Test where “all chips are in” with the end of his Test career looming.

Two more cheap dismissals to the bowling of English seamer Stuart Broad, who has now dismissed Warner 17 times in Test matches, at Headingley put the 36-year-old opener in the gun ahead of the fourth Test in Manchester.

Warner made a pair of ducks at Old Trafford in Manchester during the 2019 series, dismissed by Broad in both innings, having struggled to that point. He kept his spot for the final Test but scored just five and 11 to end a horror series.

Lehmann, who was coach and selector for five years from 2013-2018 and knows Warner well, conceded the veteran was “under the pump” but said selectors were likely to give him another go at Old Trafford.

Stuart Broad has David Warner’s measure. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

He said Warner, who is the lowest scoring batter of any Australian who has played all three Tests this series with three single figure scores, would probably come out blazing, as he did in the 2022 Boxing Day Test against South Africa, scoring 200, his only century in his past 23 Tests.

“I think they’ll stick with him. Old Trafford traditionally is a really good batting wicket. I think they’ll trust him for one more Test,” Lehmann said on Monday.

“He’s been a great of the game and obviously Stuart Broad has got his measure. My gut feel is they aren’t going to make a change now, they are not going to panic. They have done really well in the first two matches and Warner played well when there was a bit in it.

“I would give him one more, only knowing Old Trafford and what it’s like. It suits the way David plays.

“He’ll come out really aggressive in the next Test match, he’ll take the game on. All chips are in for Davey for this match, a bit like when he got the 200 against South Africa.”

Lehmann conceded the top-order issues for the Australians, with Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith the only batters to make centuries in the opening three Tests, placed extra pressure on Warner.

Darren Lehmann would give Warner another chance. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

But he said the Australians had been “controlled” in their selections, which could also mean leaving out all-rounder Cameron Green after his replacement at Headingley, Mitch Marsh, made a century.

“I think they’ve still got to play Mitchell Marsh,” Lehmann told RSN.

“The noise is going to get loud over the next week if Cameron Green is fit. He was bowling yesterday so you’d think he’d be fine to go. It’s a tough time being a selector right now. Do you stick with David Warner? I would stick with him for one more and keep Marsh in, which probably means Cameron Green misses out, and that’s a tough call because he’s a superstar.

“They may change, I don’t know, but they seem to be quite controlled in what they are doing. They are 2-1 up … I don’t think they’ll panic.

“I think they’ll make the one change for Scott Boland for Josh Hazlewood and then they’ll sum up what they do with Davey. If he doesn’t get any runs and they win, they may say ‘this is your swan song’. It will be interesting to see what happens.”