‘All options open’: Warner axe on the table after brutally honest Cummins answer

PLAYER RATINGS: Forgotten star’s stunning 97-year first as Warner nightmare deepens

TALKING POINTS: The ‘virus’ plaguing England’s Ashes; Starc conquers demons with 8-year first

REACTION: Aussies grilled over ‘insipid’ Ashes failure as cult hero exposed

Warner managed scores of simply 4 and one at Leeds, falling to Broad on each events with the seamer now having dismissed him 17 instances in his Take a look at profession.

Though Australia lead the five-match Ashes 2-1, Warner has failed to fireplace in a collection the place he averages a meagre 23.50 with only one fifty from six innings.

Warner’s lack of runs has left Australia with a difficult determination within the 9 days earlier than the fourth Take a look at at Outdated Trafford will get underway, though the very fact there aren’t any tour video games makes it more durable for the likes of reserve batsman Marcus Harris to press their case.

One other approach during which Warner could possibly be omitted is that if Marsh, who marked his first Take a look at since 2019 with an outstanding 118 and two wickets as an damage stand-in for Inexperienced, is retained alongside his fellow all-rounder, anticipated to be match to play in Manchester.

Cummins, requested if Warner could possibly be neglected to accommodate each Marsh and Inexperienced in Australia’s XI, replied: “We’ll maintain all our choices open. We’ve acquired 9 or 10 days now, so we’ll take a deep breath.

“We’ll go away for a number of days however everybody comes again into it. Greeny ought to be match for Manchester, we must always have a full roster. So we’ll take a look on the wicket, have a chat and work out the most effective XI.”

However former Australian coach Darren Lehmann mentioned he was assured selectors would give Warner another probability within the fourth Ashes Take a look at the place “all chips are in” with the top of his Take a look at profession looming.

Lehmann, who was coach and selector for 5 years from 2013-2018 and is aware of Warner properly, conceded the veteran was “beneath the pump” however mentioned selectors had been probably to offer him one other go at Outdated Trafford.

He mentioned Warner, who’s the bottom scoring batter of any Australian who has performed all three Checks this collection with three single determine scores, would most likely come out blazing, as he did within the 2022 Boxing Day Take a look at towards South Africa, scoring 200, his solely century in his previous 23 Checks.

“I believe they’ll follow him. Outdated Trafford historically is a very good batting wicket. I believe they’ll belief him for another Take a look at,” Lehmann mentioned on RSN on Monday.

“He’s been an important of the sport and clearly Stuart Broad has acquired his measure. My intestine really feel is that they aren’t going to make a change now, they aren’t going to panic. They’ve achieved very well within the first two matches and Warner performed properly when there was a bit in it.

“I’d give him another, solely understanding Outdated Trafford and what it’s like. It fits the way in which David performs.

“He’ll come out actually aggressive within the subsequent Take a look at match, he’ll take the sport on. All chips are in for Davey for this match, a bit like when he acquired the 200 towards South Africa.”

Lehmann conceded the top-order points for the Australians, with Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith the one batters to make centuries within the opening three Checks, positioned additional strain on Warner.

However he mentioned the Australians had been “managed” of their choices, which might additionally imply leaving out all-rounder Inexperienced after his alternative at Headingley, Marsh, made a century.

“I believe they’ve nonetheless acquired to play Mitchell Marsh,” Lehmann mentioned.

“The noise goes to get loud over the subsequent week if Cameron Inexperienced is match. He was bowling yesterday so that you’d assume he’d be high quality to go. It’s a tricky time being a selector proper now. Do you follow David Warner? I’d follow him for another and maintain Marsh in, which most likely means Cameron Inexperienced misses out, and that’s a tricky name as a result of he’s a celebrity.

“They might change, I don’t know, however they appear to be fairly managed in what they’re doing. They’re 2-1 up … I don’t assume they’ll panic.

“I believe they’ll make the one change for Scott Boland for Josh Hazlewood after which they’ll sum up what they do with Davey. If he doesn’t get any runs and so they win, they might say ‘that is your swan tune’. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see what occurs.”

Quick bowler Cummins was extra strident when questioned concerning the chance of Marsh being dropped.

“It’s doable, however it was a fairly spectacular week wasn’t it?” he mentioned.

The type of each Warner and Marsh, and the probably return of Inexperienced to health, leaves Australia’s selectors with a serious conundrum for the fourth Take a look at.

Marsh himself poured chilly water over the concept of enjoying alongside Inexperienced in an Australian XI with two fast-bowling all-rounders.

Requested if there may be room to play at Outdated Trafford with Inexperienced, Marsh informed cricket.com.au: “I don’t assume there may be. Sadly there’s not, that’s all proper.

“It’s necessary for him to be in our facet. We’ve seen how necessary he’s for our facet over the past couple of years. We’ll simply have to attend and see.”

However having made a century in his return match, in addition to taking two wickets, it could be a brutal determination to not retain Marsh within the Australian XI, whereas historical past tells us that Warner is undeniably a weak hyperlink in England, the place he averages 25.33 from 33 innings.

‘WHAT DO THEY DO NOW?’

Aside from Inexperienced staying on the sidelines, it seems the one different approach for Marsh to remain within the XI is for Warner to be given his marching orders early, and the batting order be shuffled.

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke mentioned on Sky Sports Radio {that a} determination on Warner’s future is now the “solely” one for selectors to fret about now.

He mentioned that Australia’s batting line-up has sufficient gamers who might open the batting as a substitute of Warner, and it could be “foolish” to show to specialist opener Marcus Harris, or Matthew Renshaw who has additionally opened at Take a look at degree.

“Inform me what they do now … The No.1 challenge is you’ve caught with Warner, given him each alternative, and (Stuart) Broad’s nonetheless acquired his quantity. Is it time?” Clarke mentioned.

“If it’s time, I wouldn’t even be desirous about who opens the batting since you’ve acquired choices.

“I reckon Mitch Marsh is in type. If he needed to do it, he might do it. Alex Carey most likely gained’t as a result of he’s acquired to maintain, however Travis Head might do it. Marnus Labuschagne isn’t making as many runs as he ought to at No.3. He might open, Smithy might go to No.3 and Head to No.4 (with Marsh and Inexperienced No.5 and No.6).”

He added: “The factor you’ve acquired to consider first is is David Warner’s time up? And the opposite factor, in the event you’re going to carry Cameron Inexperienced again in, is he 100 per cent match to bowl the overs he must bowl?

“I believe they need to both follow Warner or play with the batting order and maintain Mitch Marsh.”

‘IT’S TENSE’

England’s profitable pursuit of 251 at Headingley, that revived their Ashes hopes at 2-1 down with two to play, was Australia’s first main disappointment of the tour.

Final month, Cummins led his facet to a World Take a look at Championship closing win over India at The Oval earlier than his batting heroics guided Australia to a two-wicket success in an Ashes opener at Edgbaston that was adopted by a 43-run victory within the second Take a look at at Lord’s.

The matches towards Ben Stokes’s males have been particularly gripping affairs, with Australia bidding for his or her first Ashes collection win in England in 22 years.

“It’s simply tense on the market,” mentioned Cummins. “I really actually take pleasure in being on the market and feeling you’ve acquired some type of management of the state of affairs if you’re in the midst of it.

“It’s 100 instances worse if you’re within the altering room and you want you can do one thing about it however you possibly can’t.”