‘Everyone gets injured’: David Warner calls on selectors to bring Usman Khawaja back despite form and injury issues
David Warner has given Australian Test selectors a clear message for who he thinks should open the batting in the third Ashes Test.
David Warner says former opening partner Usman Khawaja deserves to come straight back into the Australian Test side at the top of the order and that it would be a worse result for England if Travis Head slides back to his preferred spot in the middle.
Khawaja’s playing future has been a hot topic for a team that is 2-0 up in the Ashes and looking to clinch the series in Adelaide.
The veteran opener will turn 39 next week and missed the second Test due to a back issue, which plagued him in the series opener and forced him to bat No. 4 after spending time off the field.
Khawaja was dismissed for just two and watched on as Head bludgeoned a century in the fourth innings, which led to the explosive left-hander remaining at the top of the order in Brisbane.
But Khawaja is fit again and has been named in the 15-man squad, with Warner backing his former opening partner to slot straight back into the side despite concerns over his form where he’s gone 11 Test innings without a 50.
“Of course (he deserves that spot). Everyone gets injured,” he said, hoping to see Head move back to his favourite position.
“Travis put his hand up to bat in the situation that he was in. He came out and batted the way that Travis Head does.
“You’ve seen plenty of interviews from Trav saying that’s Ussie’s spot and that when the time comes that they ask him to go up the order, he more than likely wouldn’t want to do that.
“In about 2022/23, we were looking at Travis Head to potentially open the batting, but at that point in time, we didn’t have that aggressor in the middle order.
“Australia has that now, and looking forward whenever Ussie decides to hang them up, they can look that way.
“But then it’s about all of us who work in the media to understand that it potentially might not work and that Travis might go back down the order, and then they’ll have to find another opener.
“The selectors have a headache and I’m glad I’m not one of them.”
Warner had breakfast with Khawaja recently and told his mate that he had been given a glimpse into what he experienced throughout his career where he was scrutinised at every turn.
He implored the under pressure opener to trust his inner circle and to score runs if he wanted to earn a potential farewell at the SCG next month.
“I’ve been in that situation, but you still need to score runs,” said Warner, who was able to play a farewell match against Pakistan in Sydney last year.
“You will deserve it (a farewell) if you continue to score runs and the selectors stick by you.
“It’s not by chance that he’s in the position he’s in now. He’s 38 years of age and he knows what’s required.
“We’re adults, we have these conversations behind closed doors and it’s important that the players keep supporting Ussie as much as we can off the field, and that on the field, the 10 players who go out with him support him as well.”
Meanwhile, Warner backed young gun Sam Konstas ahead of the Big Bash League season where they will team up for the Sydney Thunder.
Konstas found some form last week in the Sheffield Shield, and Warner said scoring runs was the only way he could win back his Test spot and potentially replace Khawaja.
His sole focus is on the Thunder’s upcoming campaign and not on what England are doing after they earned criticism for a trip to Noosa in the middle of their disastrous tour.
“I don’t care what they do. I hope they lose,” he said.
Originally published as ‘Everyone gets injured’: David Warner calls on selectors to bring Usman Khawaja back despite form and injury issues
