Australia could field their most inexperienced Test openers in more than 35 years if David Warner’s fractured left thumb does not recover within a month and reputed contenders Joe Burns and Cameron Bancroft are chosen for the October series in Bangladesh.
Warner was to fly home to Australia on Monday from Manchester due to the injury he suffered in Saturday’s second one-dayer against England. He was replaced in the one-day squad by his World Cup opening partner Aaron Finch, who had been excluded because selectors doubted he would fully recover from a foot injury in time for the series.
Even if the injury, which occurred as Warner was struck on his bottom hand attempting to defend a Steve Finn bouncer, heals in the most optimistic recovery period of four weeks it would still likely force Australian selectors to at least name a standby opener for the series, if not fly them to Bangladesh with the rest of the squad. Their only tour match begins in Fatullah on October 3, with the first Test beginning in Chittagong on October 9.
If the recovery period is close to six weeks, the upper estimate of Cricket Australia medical staff based on X-rays of Warner’s left thumb, it would rule the 28-year-old out of the first Test. That would be a particular blow as Australia are already having to cover for the retirements of Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers.
Among recent contenders as opener, Shaun Marsh impressed in the West Indies but had a horror sole Test in the Ashes, while Shane Watson is not guaranteed to be available, assuming selectors want to pick him, because of a suspected calf injury he suffered on Saturday.
If selectors choose Burns, who played two Tests last summer, and uncapped Bancroft it would be the most inexperienced Australian openers since 1979-80 at the WACA Ground, against England where Julian Wiener was on debut and Bruce Laird was playing just his second Test.
Rogers, who has just turned 38, made clear last month that he thought it was the right time for him to retire from international cricket, and would be almost certain to rebuff any request for him to consider a short-term comeback for the Bangladesh tour.
Given the departures of Rogers and Clarke between the Ashes and Bangladesh tour, Smith said the prospect of also missing Warner for at least part of the tour had not dampened his enthusiasm for it.
“I’m really looking forward to it to be honest. I can’t wait to captain Australia in Test cricket, and hopefully I’ll be able to have a few senior players around to lean on,” he said.
The only time Warner has been missing from the Australian Test team since his debut in November 2011 came for the first two Tests of the 2013 Ashes, having been suspended at the start of the tour.
Watson started on the field as Australia began their successful defence of 7-309 but left because of the potential injury, which will be scanned on either Sunday or Monday, once the squad arrived in Manchester ahead of the third match of the series. Calf injuries have been the most recurring for Watson across his career.
