IND vs AUS: "I Would Drop David Warner" - Mitchell Johnson Discusses The Opener's Dismal Performance In Nagpur Test
Published - 13 Feb 2023, 01:00 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM
Following yet another setback in a Test match in India, struggling Australian opener David Warner has drawn harsh criticism. The 36-year-old was dismissed for 1 and 10 in the Nagpur Test as Australia was trounced by an innings and 132 runs inside three days. He averages in the 20s in the red-ball format in India.
With a top score of 71, Warner has played nine Tests in India and amassed 399 runs at an average of 22.16. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Travis Head, who was unexpectedly benched for the Nagpur Test, may open the batting in Delhi in lieu of Warner.
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Horses For Courses Should Apply To David Warner Aa Well: Mitchell Johnson
Former Australian bowler Mitchell Johnson encouraged the selectors to make a bold decision and bench Warner for the second Test in Delhi in a writing for The West Australian. He stated:
“I would drop David Warner, elevate Matthew Renshaw to open and bring Travis Head into the middle order. If it’s about a horses for courses policy based on previous form in the subcontinent, why didn’t that apply to Warner? That’s where it got murky for me.”
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Warner had already received the support of Australian skipper Mark Taylor for one more opportunity in the second Test. He shared the following viewpoint, which was different from Johnson’s:
“David’s been around long enough, and I know he’s had plenty of opportunities [but] I think you’ve got to give him at least the next Test match to get it right.
“As Warner and Usman Khawaja found out, they bat at the top of the order and faced Ravi Ashwin with the new ball, and then four overs later got Ravi Jadeja. So it doesn’t really matter where you bat; you’re going to face the same stuff. So I would be sticking with the top two at the moment.”
We Have Not Even Got Into A Selection Discussion: Andrew McDonald
Warner was well outclassed in both of Nagpur’s innings, while Khawaja also struggled, scoring just 1 and 5.
While Warner is under fire, Australian coach Andrew McDonald has denied rumours that he would be fired. On February 12, he assured the reporters there had been no conversation about the subject. As McDonald said:
“We haven’t discussed that at all. We’ll discuss the performance of the first Test match. We haven’t even got into a selection discussion.
“The benefit out of losing the game so quickly is we’ve got a little bit more think time to work through what scenarios are for us and that starts today. It’s a sample size of one game in Nagpur.”
Beginning on February 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, the second test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be played.
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