Mike Hussey warns Australia against opening trap as David Warner nears end

Test great Mike Hussey has warned Australia’s selectors they risk throwing the team out of balance if they replace David Warner with the wrong man.

Australian Test great Mike Hussey insists the Aussies must replace David Warner with a specialist opener rather than redeploying one of the current top six to the role.

Warner is in the final fortnight of his Test career, which will end after the SCG series finale against Pakistan.

It means Australia must find a new partner at the top of the order for Usman Khawaja.

Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw are jostling for the spot, however there have also been calls for Australia to move any of Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head or Mitch Marsh up the order to allow Cameron Green a path back into the team.

But Hussey, who was a specialist opener before finding a spot in the Australian Test middle order, said it would be a tough ask for any of the incumbents to shuffle up to the top.

Marcus Harris is knocking on the door for Test selection. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“I think that’d be really difficult to do. I mean, opening is one of the toughest jobs in the game. So for me, personally, if I was selecting, I’d be going for a traditional, proper opener,” Hussey said outside the MCG on Tuesday morning, having been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

“Because if you haven’t done it much in your first-class career, it’s gonna be very difficult to come up the order.

“I’m not saying you can’t do it, you know, and maybe someone could evolve into doing that role, but I think it would be difficult for a player like Mitch Marsh.

“I know there’s been talk about him going up the order, I think he’s probably more suited, much like Travis Head to be in the middle order. I think you know that that’d be the best for the balance of the Australian team.”

David Warner with his family ahead of his final Boxing Day Test. Picture: Mark Stewart

But Hussey would not go as far as saying which of Bancroft, Renshaw and Harris should replace Warner for next month’s Test series against the West Indies.

“Not really. I mean, I’ve always been one that I like whoever’s dominating the level below who’s been dominating in Sheffield Shield cricket, over a period of time and to be fair, they all have at various stages.

“So it’s a tough job for the selectors. So I don’t want to stand here and say it should be this guy or this guy.

“I hope that they reward the guy that has been performing very well at Sheffield Shield cricket. I think that sends a great message to the competition. And it’s great for our pathways that we’re going to reward the guys that are doing well at first-class level.”

Originally published as Mike Hussey warns Australia against opening trap as David Warner nears end