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As Australia gears up for the upcoming three-match test series of Pakistan tour of Australia 2023-24, the cricketing community is abuzz with speculation regarding the potential test retirement of the seasoned Australian opener, David Warner. The left-handed stalwart has been a formidable force at the top of the order, leaving a significant void that demands careful consideration for a suitable replacement.
While the popular sentiment among fans and cricket pundits leans towards the talented Marnus Labuschagne as the natural successor to Warner’s coveted opening spot, seasoned test cricketer Usman Khawaja has injected an intriguing perspective into the discourse.
Usman Khwaja’s opinion on opening spot
Khawaja emphasized the challenges of opening in cricket, expressing that it is the toughest batting position. Drawing from his experience batting across various positions for Australia, he highlighted the difficulty of introducing someone new to the opening role.
“Opening’s not easy. It’s tough work. I can tell you that because I’ve batted one, two, three, four, five and six for Australia. I’m telling you by far opening is the hardest, and it’s very hard to bring in someone who hasn’t opened,” Khwaja said, as quoted while speaking to the reporters.
Also READ: Mitchell Johnson slams David Warner, questions if he deserves farewell after ball tampering scandal
Khwaja on Labuschagne’s prospects as a test opener
Mentioning Labuschagne’s prospects as a test opener, Khawaja underscored that while Labuschagne might perform well, it’s still being determined if he would excel as much as he does at number three. The Islamabad-born cricketer shed light on the mental toughness required for opening, suggesting that disrupting the established batting order may not be worth the risk.
“I’m positive if you put Marnus up there at opening, he would do very well, but would he do as well at opening as he does at three? I’m not sure. I wouldn’t want to take the risk. He averages 55 at three, and Steve Smith averages 60, so you wouldn’t want to mess around with it too much. Opening can be a very, very tough thing to do, mentally more than physically,” the 36-year-old added.
