George Bailey laughs off David Warner’s SOS, puts Josh Inglis in the Test mix

George Bailey has responded to David Warner’s offer to come out of retirement and shut down one idea for his Test opening replacement.

National selection chief George Bailey says Josh Inglis is not being considered as a Test opener but is “firmly in the conversation” as a batting option this summer as he laughed off David Warner’s offer to come out of retirement to play India.

As Bailey dismissed concerns over Cameron Bancroft’s form at the top of the order , with selectors looking for an opening batter to replace Steve Smith, he opened the door for Inglis, who has back-to-back Sheffield Shield centuries for Western Australia batting in the middle order, to play Test cricket this summer.

Smith’s move back to number four, and the resultant reshuffle, means Green’s absence doesn’t create a hole but Bailey said he’d spoken to Inglis, Australia’s first-choice white-ball keeper, about playing as a specialist batter.

“I’ve spoken to Josh on this, and not in the short term do I think he’s someone that we’d be looking to place in the top order,” he said.

Josh Inglis is in the mix for a Test spot after a scorching start to the Shield season.. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“There’s no doubt that the form is really fantastic at the moment as we have seen when he has been playing for Australia and then the ability to jump back into domestic cricket and dominate as he has been.

“Different series at different times of the year is when he’d firmly come into the mix as a batter, and I think if the right opportunity opened up over the summer in the spots we think he’s most capable of performing, then I think he’d firmly be in that conversation.”

In the wake of Warner’s suggestion last week that he was only a phone call away from answering an SOS, with selectors mulling their opening dilemma, Bailey said he had spoken to the retired star, confident it was only a joke.

David Warner has sparked plenty of debate over his recent comments indicating he’s willing to come out of retirement. Picture: Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

“I was firmly in the camp of assuming he was making those comments in jest,” he said.

“There were some who clearly took them very seriously and some that took them as David intended with tongue firmly in cheek.”

One of the leading candidates to replace Warner is Bancroft, who piled on 778 runs in the Sheffield Shield last year but has managed just 10 from four innings to start the new campaign in a huge blow to his chances.

Bancroft has played 10 Tests for Australia but last pulled on the baggy green five years ago, with Bailey defending the experienced Western Australian, citing his consistency as something the selectors will consider.

He’s not the only player out of form, with several incumbent Test batters struggling in the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield, with Bancroft to get another chance to stake his claim for the vacant opening spot later this week when Australia A takes on India A in the first of two matches between the sides.

Cameron Bancroft has struggled for runs to start the new Sheffield Shield season. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“He’s been consistent for a really long period of time. That’s got to count for something,” Bailey said, having reached out to Bancroft after the first Shield game.

“Missing out in a couple of Shield games isn’t going to be the be all and end all on that front when he has been as consistent as he has.

“There’s certainly enough intrigue and speculation around those spots that we don’t need to inundate the players at this stage of the season.

“Every player is going out trying to do their best and perform, and it doesn’t change if they have been scoring runs or not.

“I imagine Cam’s in exactly the same space as he always is. The feedback from some of the other WA players is that he’s working as hard as he is.

“Sometimes these things happen when you go through a little period where things don’t go your way.”

Bancroft is battling it out with NSW young gun Sam Konstas and the experienced Marcus Harris for the opportunity to partner Usman Khawaja in the first Test, with selectors to keep a close eye on the match in Mackay as well as the upcoming Shield fixtures.

Originally published as George Bailey laughs off David Warner’s SOS, puts Josh Inglis in the Test mix