Warner to retire from Red-Ball Cricket After Series Against Pakistan 

David Warner and Usman Khawaja have done a great job as Australia’s red ball format openers for last few years. It is expected that Warner will retire from test cricket after Australia’s test series against Pakistan. After his departure, a pivotal spot at the top of the order opens up in the Australian Test team, a position Warner has held for over a decade.

Usman Khawaja, who has been a stalwart in the team, is now at the forefront of discussions about the future of the opening partnership. Khawaja has played a superb role as opener and particularly in last 2 years, helped his team gain victories on away tours.

In 2022, the 36-year-old Usman Khawaja clinched the prestigious Allan Border Medal after a remarkable year as an opener. Despite entering the latter stage of his career, Khawaja found his career-best form, scoring runs against different opponents in challenging conditions.

READ MORE: David Warner Withdrawn from T20 Series After World Cup Win

While acknowledging the unpredictable nature of a cricketer’s career, Khawaja revealed on Nova 106.9 Radio that he doesn’t feel it’s time to hang up his baggy green. Reflecting on factors beyond age, he said, “There are some things that are out of your control, like how the body’s going.”

“It’s also how the mind is. Are you able to go to competitive training every day? The hard yards that you did 10 years ago, are you still doing that? I’m still really enjoying the games, I don’t really have a finishing line. It’s not about what age I’m at, it’s more about the factors, if one of them drops off, then I’ll think maybe it’s time. It just hasn’t dropped off yet.”

Khawaja played a crucial role in Australia’s recent achievements, contributing significantly to retaining the Ashes with a 2-2 draw against England and securing the World Test Championship trophy against India. The seasoned opener enters the upcoming summer well-rested, prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

The upcoming Australian summer marks the end of an era with David Warner as Khawaja’s batting partner. The Pakistan series will be the final chapter of their partnership, creating a poignant moment for Australian cricket fans.

Potential Successor of Warner: Bancroft vs. Harris

Looking ahead, the discussion naturally turns to who will fill the void left by Warner. Cameron Bancroft emerges as a front-runner, having displayed consistency in another strong Sheffield Shield season. Playing for Western Australia, he has been consistently playing the role of Mr. Reliable who knows how to play long innings.

However, the selectors’ preference for Marcus Harris in the recent Ashes series adds an intriguing element to the competition for the opening slot. Harris opens for Victoria in Sheffield Sheild and has already scored over 10,000 runs in his First-class career.

For now, Khawaja is confident to play another season for Australia. His journey is expected to extend beyond the Australian summer, with a probable appearance in a two-test series against New Zealand in February. The anticipation builds for a challenging five-test series against India in November, where Khawaja’s experience and form will be pivotal.