None of the obvious contenders to replace Dave Warner stand out. So why not try a left field solution?

It’s always a stress when a champion retires, especially when that champion is hard to replace. How do you substitute Shane Warne, for instance?

Or Glenn McGrath, or Adam Gilchrist, or Don Bradman, or Greg Chappell, or Meg Lanning?

Well, the thing about stress is that it can cause bad decision-making. I hope we don’t go through that with David Warner.

Warner is one of Australia’s all-time greatest Test openers, a genius on southern hemisphere pitches, absolutely fine north of the equator. His stats are amazing but even they don’t tell the whole story. I remember watching him at the Gabba in 2020-21 and while it was Travis Head who made hay with his 152, it was Warner’s opening knock of 94 that set it all up.

In white-ball cricket, of course, Warner is an immortal.

So, I get the prospect of replacing him is scary, especially as there’s no obvious heir apparent, not with Will Pucovski seemingly ruled out of contention.

There are three frontrunners, apparently: Matt Renshaw, Marcus Harris, and Cameron Bancroft. All have been pic

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