NSW captain Moises Henriques has queried the motivations behind a David Warner Test comeback, Josh Inglis thrown into opener mix

David Warner’s shock offer to come back for the upcoming Test match series against India, and fill the void he left at the top of the order, has been questioned by the NSW Sheffield Shield captain Moises Henriques.

NSW captain Moises Henriques has queried the motivations behind David Warner’s floated Test comeback as one of the nation’s most senior cricket voices made the case for Josh Inglis to open the batting for Australia against India this summer.

Warner set the cat among the pigeons on Tuesday when he revealed to this masthead that he had volunteered to come out of international retirement to bat at the top of the order in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series to fill the hole jointly left by Cameron Green’s back injury and Steve Smith’s preference to return to the No. 4 position.

A veteran of 112 Tests, Warner – who turns 38 on the weekend – said that he would even be willing to play a Sheffield Shield match for the Blues if national selectors were interested in his services for the five-Test series against India.

NSW captain Moises Henriques of New South Wales speaks to the media after the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria at the MCG. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

National selectors George Bailey and Andrew McDonald have thus far fobbed off Warner’s remarks.

Speaking at the MCG after his side fell to a 141-run loss at the hands of Victoria, Blues skipper Henriques said he wasn’t sure whether Warner was genuinely keen on a comeback or whether it was the left-hander speaking in jest. Warner insisted in his comments that he was “dead serious.”

“I don’t know how serious they are or whether they are tongue in cheek, so I can’t really say that I’ve made anything of them just yet,” Henriques said.

Warner leaves the crease for the final time during his farewell Test match. Picture: Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Asked whether he would be open to Warner playing in the Shield to prepare for India, Henriques said it depended why the former was willing to do so.

“I’d have to have a conversation about the reasons that he wants to do it. Why? And then again it’s another conversation with our selectors in terms of I guess, are we holding back the next generation etc or is it something that we need right now,” Henriques said.

“I’m not really the person to be answering that question. That’s more of a sort of strategy as an association and for people far beyond what I’m capable of doing right now.”

While selection chair Bailey has not stated definitively that Smith would bat at No. 4, the former skipper said on Monday that it was “pretty much” certain he would return to that spot, meaning Australia will need either to shift one of the other incumbent Test batters to the top of the order or pick an opener from outside the squad.

Neither of specialists Marcus Harris (26 and 16) and Sam Konstas (2 and 43) set the world on fire at the ‘G this week, while Cameron Bancroft – the other opener in the Australia A squad, fell for two against Tasmania on Wednesday to make it 10 runs from four innings thus far in the Shield season.

Inglis, now Australia’s No. 1 gloveman across both white-ball formats, has two Shield centuries in as many games for Western Australia, albeit batting at No. 6.

But NSW coach Greg Shipperd said the 29-year-old should be firmly in the mix to open.

WA wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has been thrown into the Australian Test opening mix. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Inglis is unlikely to play another red-ball match before the first Test because of white-ball commitments with the Aussies.

“Let’s not forget Josh Inglis as well, who I think’s probably a smokey in terms of opening the batting. I’d have Inglis and Konstas in the conversation as 1-2, 2-1, and let the Australian selectors mull over those two,” Shipperd said.

“His performances for Australia have been first-class, and I think they’re looking they’re looking for a style of player at the top of the order and Inglis may fit that brief.

“If you think of the style, he’s a right-handed version of David Warner in terms of someone who wants to get on with the play. He’s got strokes all around the wicket and he’s played at the level internationally and I think he’s a well-respected player.”

Originally published as NSW captain Moises Henriques has queried the motivations behind a David Warner Test comeback, Josh Inglis thrown into opener mix