‘Not the wildest thought’: Surprising name tossed up as potential Warner replacement

There have been fresh calls for all-rounder Mitchell Marsh to replace the outgoing David Warner at the top of the Australian batting order.

Warner is set to retire from Test cricket after Australia’s clash with Pakistan at the SCG in January.

Warner’s replacement was slated to be one of Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris or Matt Renshaw – all of whom are taking in part in the Prime Minister’s XI clash against Pakistan.

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However, Fox Sports’ Brendon Julian and former Aussie wicketkeeper Brad Haddin have both thrown a left-field name in the ring, believing Mitchell Marsh could replace Warner as the new Australian opening batsman alongside Usman Khawaja.

Marsh opens the batting for Australia in the 50 over cricket where he played a key part in the World Cup triumph in India.

Haddin says Marsh “plays fast bowling as well as anyone”.

“In this modern game, it’s good to have an opening batsman who looks to be proactive, looks to take the game on,” Haddin said on the Willow Talk podcast.

“He picks up length as quick as anyone in this Australian team. He’s faced a lot of fast bowling in the West.

“When there’s opportunities I don’t mind his name and see how he goes at the top of the order.”

Julian’s reasoning behind moving Marsh to the top of the order was different to Haddin’s, with the former Aussie quick-turned analyst believing the change would accommodate two all-rounders in the side.

“It’s not the wildest thought to have two all-rounders in the side, just because Mitch Marsh is in the side doesn’t mean he can’t break into it and Marsh stay there as well, moving forward,” he said on Fox Sports.

“I think Cam Green is looking at himself, he’s got to get in the side as a batting all-rounder, a bit like Mitch Marsh. If you’re batting six for Australia and you’re an all-rounder, you’ve got to score runs.

“I think those two guys in the Test side, that’d be a great team. I know that we’ve always traditionally gone you have to have an opener as an opener, and I get it. But I don’t think it’s totally out of the question.”

This isn’t the first time that Marsh’s name has been floated as a potential Test opening batsman.

England cricket legend Michael Vaughan called for Marsh to open for Australia prior to the Ashes series earlier this year.

“I would honestly look at someone like Mitchell Marsh to open the batting because it gets him in the team … he’s a right-hander and he might go down the aggressive route,” Vaughan said at the time.

“Everyone else who has been here opening the batting for Australia in the last few series has struggled, so why not try something a bit different?”

But Brett Lee raised concerns over promoting an attacking middle-order player to the top of the order, saying he’d prefer to see a specialist opener given the nod.

He said on Fox Cricket: “I guess I’m a bit old school with my thinking. I don’t mind T20 cricket, one day cricket, we saw that Adam Gilchrist was one of the first guys to do it – going from batting at number seven to opening the batting for Australia and having a very very successful career at the top of the order.

“I think when it comes to Test cricket though, I’d probably rather see a specialist in that area, especially if the ball is nipping around.”

He added: “My only concern with that is if you do get juicy wickets – certainly playing over at the UK, or maybe at the Gabba or at Perth at Optus Stadium.

“If you’re not used to the red ball nipping around, seaming around, if you’ve never done that as a job that’s the only thing that scares me. I’m not saying it can’t be done, of course.”