David Warner will reportedly squeeze one more Ashes tour into his illustrious career as Australia prepares to name its squad for the upcoming series.
News Corp reports the squad could be announced as soon as Wednesday as the Aussies gear up for the World Test Championship against India from June 7 before attention turns to The Ashes.
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The initial squad announcement will see the Aussies through the World Test Championship and the first two Ashes contests before the selection panel will get a chance to make any adjustments necessary for the final three Tests.
The report said Warner will be in the final 17 or 18-man squad alongside familiar faces Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw.
Warner’s reported inclusion is a major show of faith from the Australian selectors given his recent form struggles at Test level as the 36-year-old failed to make triple figures in a drought that lasted almost three years.
After scoring 111 against New Zealand at the New Year’s Test in 2020, Warner was forced to wait 15 Tests before he finally got to pull out his trademark celebration at the Boxing Day Test in 2022 when he scored 200 in a sensational knock against South Africa.
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While Warner may have found it tough in the Test arena, he has been in strong form for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
He has scored three half-centuries so far this season and averages 45.6 for the Capitals.
Former Australian Test skipper Mark Taylor believes Warner will get three matches to prove his worth for the full Ashes campaign.
“If I am reading the tea leaves right, it sounds like they will stick with David for the World Test Championship at The Oval,” Taylor told AAP.
“And if that’s the way Australia are thinking about the World Test Championship, then yes, they have to start with him for the Ashes.”
Travis Head, who deputised for Warner when the latter was forced out of the India Test series due to a fractured elbow, is also expected to be named but the report claims he is in line for a role further down the order.
Head is reportedly seen as the perfect kryptonite to the ageing Duke ball as opposed to facing it at the top of the batting line-up.
Although he may ultimately end up batting in the middle of the order, Head displayed a cool head when opening alongside Usman Khawaja against India and scored a solid 90 in the second innings of the Ahmedabad Test.
There aren’t expected to be many shocks in the bowling department, although the report claims Queensland star Michael Neser may be a surprise late inclusion.
