David Warner's successor in the Australian cricket team has become a subject of contention, with three contenders – Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Matt Renshaw – vying for the role.
Recently enshrined in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, former Australian batter Michael Hussey has shared his perspective on the matter. He advocates for selectors to choose a specialist opener with a demonstrated track record in Sheffield Shield cricket.
"Opening is one of the toughest jobs in the game. So for me personally, if I was selecting, I'd be going for a traditional, proper opener. Someone who has done it for a long period of time. Because if you haven't done it much in your first-class career, it's going to be very difficult to come up the order,” Espncricinfo quoted Hussey as saying.
Renowned for his versatility across various formats, Hussey highlighted the difficulties of opening and voiced a preference for a conventional opener with a strong first-class career.
"I'm not saying you can't do it, and maybe someone could evolve into doing that role. But I think it would be difficult for a player like Mitch Marsh or someone - I know there's been talk about him going up the order - I think he's probably more suited, much like Travis Head, to be in the middle-order. I think that'd be the best for the balance of the Australian team," Hussey said.
Without mentioning a particular person, he emphasised the importance of recognising those who perform well in the Shield matches. He sees it as a positive challenge for selectors.
"I like whoever's dominating the level below, who's been dominating in Sheffield Shield cricket over a period of time, and to be fair, they all have at various stages. So it's a tough job for the selectors. I don't want to stand here and say it should be this guy or this guy," Hussey said.
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