Mark Waugh wants David Warner to open for Australia in the World Cup

Former Australia cricketer, and now the national selector, Mark Waugh said that David Warner is best suited to open for Australia in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. On Tuesday, May 7, Waugh said that he considers Warner as the number one opener out there currently and deserved to return to the side to his previous role.

There were speculations that Usman Khawaja was preferred to open the innings along with the Australian captain Aaron Finch, and Waugh’s opinion came in response for that. If Khawaja opens, that means Warner will be pushed to bat at number three, as he did during a World Cup warm-up match against a New Zealand XI in Brisbane on Monday, 6th May.

However, Waugh believes that Warner is the most dangerous opener in the side at the moment in the world and the defending champions need the left-hander’s powerful stance at the top of the order to build momentum right from the start of the innings.

The left-hander had recently created massive waves in the IPL, he was the top contender for the ‘Orange Cap’ having amassed 692 runs in 12 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad. On their return, David Warner and Steve Smith hit a swift 39 and a brisk 22 respectively on Monday in the practice match vs New Zealand XI. 

Waugh chooses the No.3

As quoted by TimesNow, Waugh said, “I would definitely have him (Warner) opening. He is the number one opener in my opinion, so he has got to open with Finch. He is the most dangerous when the field is up and the field restrictions are in place and he can get the team off to a flyer.”

He further opined that Khawaja and Shaun Marsh are the best options to bat at number three and the rest of the batting line-up should remain as it is. “I think either Khawaja or Shaun Marsh bat at three and they should be fighting for that spot. The rest probably picks itself…with (Steve) Smith at four, (Glenn) Maxwell (at) five, (Marcus) Stoinis (at) six and (Alex) Carey (at) seven,” Jr Waugh concluded.

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