‘I want him in the team’: Waugh says Green should be new opener to replace retiring Warner

Cameron Green possesses both the technique and temperament to become the nation’s next top opener, former Australian star Mark Waugh believes.

The search is on to find a new opener to replace David Warner, who will retire from Test cricket at the completion of the series against Pakistan beginning in Perth on Thursday.

Specialist openers Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matthew Renshaw all made runs in the Prime Minister’s XI outing against Pakistan in Canberra last week and are in contention for the spot when it becomes available for the series against the West Indies in January.

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All-rounder Mitch Marsh, who has opened for Australia in short-form cricket, and current No.3 Marnus Labuschagne have also been floated as possibilities.

Waugh is not certain Australian selectors are convinced that any of the three specialist openers who featured in the ‘bat-off’ in Canberra provide a long-term solution given all have been tried in the past.

He also noted Australia will need to unearth another opener within the next couple of years given Usman Khawaja is a similar age to Warner.

“That’s the million dollar question. Who’s going to be opening the batting with Usman Khawaja? And he’s probably not going to be around that long either,” Waugh told foxsports.com.au

“But assuming he’s still there, I guess there’s the choice of Bancroft, Harris or Renshaw, they’re the three that I guess you think of foremost. And probably Bancroft has had the best form in the last 12 to 15 months at first class level.

“But I’m not sure the selectors are totally sold on all or any of those. I just think that they may be looking elsewhere.”

That person should be Green, who lost his spot to Marsh midway through the Ashes tour, according to Waugh.

He noted Green, who averages more than 50 when batting in the middle order for his state and made 46 in the PM XI match, effectively had experience facing the new ball given he had batted at No.6 for Australia during his brief career to date.

“There’s not a lot of other options available, but I’d be seriously thinking of getting Cameron Green in to open the batting,” Waugh said.

“I want him in the team, because he just offers so much. He gives great balance because he bowls ten to 15 good hours, he’s a great fieldsman and I think his batting, he hasn’t quite nailed it yet, but when I (have) seen him, he’s got a good technique and he plays fast bowling well.

“And he’s batted at six so far and often you get the second new ball at six, so … I just think it could be a bit of a Shane Watson-type situation, so I’d seriously be looking at him, because I want him in the team. At the moment Mitch Marsh has obviously nailed that spot that he was in, so that’d be the way I’d possibly go.”

Former Test bowler Brendon Julian, who attended the Fox Sports and Kayo Sports Summer of Cricket launch in Parramatta on Friday alongside Waugh, also cited Green as a potential opener.

“It’s a tough one … but for the last month, I’ve been looking at working out a way to get Cam Green into the side along with Mitch Marsh,” Julian said.

“I think that would be a great lineup, having those two guys in. Whether it is a Green who opens a batting, or a Labuschagne, I think we’ve got to look at that heading into the West Indies. And then they play two Tests against New Zealand.

“I think that will be the way that it will go, depending on who scores and how batsmen are batting, those sort of things.”

Australian captain Pat Cummins opened the door to the prospect of Marsh, 32, moving to the top of the order to enable Green to return to the Test team at No.6.

“It’s a possibility. You are open to anything, really,” Cummins said on Friday.

“We’ve seen him make that shift in white-ball cricket, putting the pressure back on the opening bowlers and hitting them off their lengths.

“You never say never, but I thought what (Marsh) did down at No. 6 in the Ashes was pretty impressive.”

Of the three specialist openers vying for the soon to be available spot, Bancroft has the highest average in first class cricket for his state dating back to October, 2022.

He made 53 against Pakistan in Canberra when opening alongside Harris, who scored 49.

Harris was a member of the Ashes squad but did not get an opportunity to add to his Test tally during that tour.

“(I’m always) trying to do my best,” Harris told Fox Cricket during the game.

“I feel like I’m batting well and my game was in order.”

Renshaw, who is the youngest of the trio and the only one to make a Test century, was unbeaten on 136 in the PMXI game when it was abandoned prematurely on Saturday due to wild weather.

“I’ve been in this position for the last few years now, so if it comes down to one game, then so be it,” Renshaw said.

“Probably ever since I’ve moved to Queensland, I’ve felt I’ve proved myself enough, especially in domestic cricket.

“Whether or not in international cricket, that is up for debate and other people’s opinions.”

Julian said that if selectors do prefer a specialist opener, he believes Renshaw has mounted a strong case for the role.

He feels the series against the West Indies and also New Zealand in late February, early March will serve as an ideal guide for selectors as they consider the future.

Australia is due to host India and England over the next two summers and would prefer a settled batting order leading into those series.

That said, with a view to qualifying for the World Test Championship at Lords in 2025, Australia needs to ensure it performs strongly this summer after being docked points for slow over rates during the Ashes.

“I think if selectors do go for a seasoned, campaigning opening batsman, I reckon probably Matt Renshaw would be leading the pack at the moment,” Julian said.

“I think there’s enough room in that squad and enough Test matches to sort of try out a few different players. But I don’t think they’ll change too much, because there’s only five Test matches, and then there’s a massive break. But don’t be surprised if they get Green and Marsh in the same side. I think that’d be good.”