Legendary Australian Test keeper Ian Healy says he’d offer a firm ‘No’ to David Warner’s offer of coming out of retirement to open the batting against India declaring selectors have to ‘commit’ to the future.
As potential replacements at the top of the batting order failed across the second round of the Sheffield Shield competition, Healy suggested Mitchell Marsh as an opener and Josh Inglis, after back-to-back hundreds for Western Australia, batting at number six could be a solution.
Warner, who turns 38 next week and is set to line up in the commentary box this summer, declared he was ‘always available’ and confirmed he sent Australian coach Andrew McDonald a text message offering to come back.
Selectors need to find a new opening partner for Usman Khawaja with Steve Smith, who filled the gap for four Tests after Warner’s retirement last summer, set to resume his position at number four, where he averages over 60.
But Healy said Warner was not the answer and said more time was needed to assess the contenders, including boom NSW teenager Sam Konstas, who launched himself on to the radar of selectors with two centuries in his opening Shield match of the summer.
‘I’m waiting another week (before picking him). I’d like to see him make more free-flowing runs,’ he said.
‘I’m open to it, I like the young man theory.
‘But at this stage, if they have to resort back to something else then I’m putting Mitchell Marsh to opener and I’m putting Josh Inglis in at six.
‘No other batsman has made back-to-back hundreds so why aren’t we picking Inglis?’
Ian Healy says he would offer a firm ‘No’ to David Warner’s offer to come out of retirement amid Australia’s top order crisis
David Warner meets King Charles in Sydney 22/10/2024. Picture: Jonathon Bleakley – Sydney Thunder.
Healy added that Mitchell Marsh could bat as an opener against India and Josh Inglis could come in at No 6
Healy said Inglis, the first-choice Australian keeper in both the ODI and T20 teams, could also help provide middle-order runs with Marsh at the top should the contenders continue to flounder. A
‘We seem to be overlooking Josh Inglis in WA. He’s batting with his elbows out,’ Healy told SEN.
‘Back-to-back hundreds, so he should make the team as a bat.’
Healy said he was a fan of Konstas, on what he had seen so far, including a solid 43 against Victoria at the MCG against good bowling.
‘He worked hard and got through a new type of innings for him, so that was good,’ he said. Reports are he showed some pluck. Is pluck what we’re after? Or do we want a little bit more confidence or just pluck in the Australian side at this stage?
‘I’m sure he can make it. Just tell him to go for it, play naturally and he could kill it.’
