David Warner named in Australia squad for Ashes

David Warner is not guaranteed to play the first Ashes Test, with selectors again dodging questions about the embattled opener’s future.

David Warner walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the Indian Premier League match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals. Picture: AFP

David Warner is not guaranteed to play the first Ashes Test, with selectors again dodging questions about the embattled opener’s future beyond the World Test Championship final against India.

Head of the panel George Bailey explained the thinking behind the 17-man squad following its announcement Thursday morning.

Mitch Marsh was the one surprise inclusion. The West Australian, who has not played a Test since the 2019 Ashes, was named as a back up for all-rounder Cameron Green, but is an outside chance of moving into the top six alongside his younger state teammate.

Matthew Renshaw is in the squad despite being denied a contract two weeks ago, holding out stiff competition from Peter Handscomb and Cameron Bancroft.

All eyes, however, are on the veteran Warner who is a lock for the WTC final but no guarantee of going on.

“He’s invested and he wants to make sure he helps us finish off what has been a really consistent couple of years on the Test front by trying to win the World Test Championship and then shift that focus really quickly to the Ashes,” Bailey said.

The chief selector was vague when asked if Warner would be in the first Test squad should he not perform against India in the WTC final at The Oval beginning on June 7.

“Not specifically to Dave, but I think we will just get through that Test championship and there will obviously be planning behind the scenes, but we’ll have a look at what that looks like as we get there,” he said.

“Different opposition and different surface in terms of going from The Oval to start the Ashes so we will work through that.

“All selections (are) based on performance and there will always be a weight attributed to performance.”

Bailey later told Gerard Whateley on SEN that it was a “fair expectation” Warner would line up as an opener at The Oval in the WTC final but did not offer the same sentiment about the first Ashes match at Edgbaston.

Warner has passed 50 twice in his past 15 Test outings, but scored a double hundred in the Boxing Day Test.

He had a poor 2019 Ashes, averaging just 9.5, but brings with him experience of 103 Tests and an unrivalled determination.

The 23-year-old Green is shaping to be the most valuable cricketer in Australia, with selectors confessing that they learned in his absence from the first two Tests in India just how important it was to have him.

Marsh returned to the West Australian side for the Sheffield Shield final following surgery which kept him out of the 2022-23 summer.

He also appeared in the Australian ODI side that played against India in March, but has not played a Test since his appearance at The Oval in 2019 where he took seven wickets in a losing cause.

“It’s great to have Mitch back, he hasn’t really had the opportunity to bowl in longer form cricket for some time. The operation that he had prior to Christmas has worked really well and we are confident of getting him up and available as an all-rounder,” Bailey said.

“Not having Greeny for part of the India series highlight the value of having a back up.

“Mitch has performed well for us in the UK in the past and we think he can add some value.”

Bailey admitted it would be ideal to have two all-rounders in the top six.

Green, who was is getting $3.15m to play for the Mumba Indians in the current IPL, starred for that side in its victory over the Sun Risers on Tuesday night.

The selectors have Marcus Harris and Renshaw in place to fill Warner’s position should he fail early, sparking questions as to why Bancroft, who has outperformed both in recent Shield summers, was overlooked.

Bailey was insistent that Renshaw did not get in ahead of Bancroft or Handscomb just because the latter two would be in the UK playing county cricket.

“Renners is ahead of them at the moment for us, we like the way he plays, the way he goes about it,” he said. “We like the skill sets that he brings in the UK.”

Bailey also confirmed reports in The Australian on Tuesday that Lance Morris was not selected because of a back injury and said he was essentially out of contention for the Ashes.

Renshaw must be puzzled about why he was left off the recently announced contract list when he played in India and is in the squad for England, while Morris was granted a contract despite being injured and not being in any Australian XI when fit.

Scott Boland’s chance of being in the first side ahead of Josh Hazlewood were boosted by news that the latter is still not back to full fitness after being sidelined from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with an Achilles injury.

“He’s reasonably experienced, he’s very professional, Josh, so he knows exactly what and where he will need to be for the Ashes,” Bailey said.

“In some ways that smaller workload through four-over bursts in the IPL might be a nice build for him.”