"Game is live, they need to play Warner": Former England captain Hussain on Australia choices for 4th Test
Jul 11, 2023
Leeds [UK], July 11 : Former England captain Nasser Hussain advised the Australian team to stick with David Warner as their opener for the fourth test of the Ashes at Emirates Old Trafford, as the series is very much alive after England won the third test at Headingley.
Chris Woakes and Harry Brook put on an impressive display with the bat, supported by Mark Wood's crucial contribution in the game's final moments, to pull off a thrilling 3-wicket victory over Australia on Day 4 of the third Test at Headingley Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
After the third test, there is concern about Warner's batting, as he has been dismissed by England pacer Stuart Broad twice in the third test and 17 times in the Ashes games.
"It's the decision on David Warner. It is a really tricky thing. I think if they'd won here [third Test at Headingley], and they had won the Ashes, it would have been a time to move on from David Warner, but now it's a live game, I think they need and have to play Warner," Hussain told Sky Sports.
"My point being you could play Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh [all-rounders] and leave Warner out, but then who opens? You might have to move Labuschagne, or even Marsh opens in white ball cricket at times, so he could do it. But it's a different challenge. That's a specialist role: opening in Test match cricket. They'll have to think long and hard about who opens the batting at Old Trafford," he added.
Australian Captain Pat Cummins has shown his full support to Warner, who has scored nine, 36, 66, 25, four, and one in the series respectively.
"Yeah of course [have faith in Warner]. I thought, particularly last week at Lord's, he was fantastic. A few of the chances he's got out there to bat, it's been floodlights and clouds up above, so I'm really happy with how everyone is going," Cummins said.
