0 
0 Mark Taylor has added to the doubt surrounding David Warner’s place in the Australian Test XI, admitting the selectors face a “tough” decision ahead of the summer.
After Warner and Usman Khawaja steered the tourists to 0-135 by stumps on day four of the final Ashes Test, there was the prospect of Warner going on to make a century and playing a key hand in Australia winning the match to claim the series 3-1.
But the 109-Test veteran added only two runs to his overnight score before edging a Chris Woakes delivery through to Jonny Bairstow, departing for 60.
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England inflicted carnage soon after, triggering a collapse of 7-70 as the Australians crashed to a 49-run defeat.
While Warner improved on his dismal 2019 Ashes tour, on which he managed only 95 runs at 9.50, he again had a sub-par series, registering just 285 runs at 28.50.
He announced early in June that he wanted to retire from the longest form of the game in next January’s SCG Test, but whether he’s deserving of his place in the side for the summer is debatable.
“Gee, it’s going to be tough, that one, isn’t it?” Taylor said on 2GB’s Wide World of Sports radio.
“I thought … if he went out there and made a hundred and we won the game (in the final Ashes Test) he’s inked himself in for the next three (matches) in Australia. The fact he made 60, got a good delivery, to be fair to him, and now we’re not really sure what to do.
“There’s something like four or five rounds of (Sheffield) Shield cricket before that first Test (on December 14).
“I reckon the selectors will be having a look at those Test matches and thinking, ‘Now, do we keep David?’. We know what he can do. Or do we start thinking about the future? And that’s going to be a real tough one.”
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If Warner is axed, the selectors could call recall Marcus Harris, who was a member of Australia’s Ashes squad but only ever ran drinks, recall one of Matthew Renshaw or Cameron Bancroft, or push Travis Head up the order.
Other options include blooding Tasmania’s Tim Ward, Western Australia’s Teague Wyllie or Victorian Ashley Chandrasinghe.
The wildcard in the deck is Will Pucovski, who looked set to be Australia’s next long-term top-order batter before his career was derailed by a string of concussions and mental health issues. Pucovski returned to cricket late in the Australian summer and is now doing a stint in the UK, playing for Weybridge in the Surrey league.
“Normally at the end of an Ashes series, you start looking beyond and start saying, ‘What’s our side look like in two or three years’ time?’,” Taylor said.
“That’s going to be a real tough one, that.”
Australia will meet Pakistan in three Tests in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, before facing the West Indies in two Tests in Adelaide and Brisbane.
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