Two months from now, the arch-rivals England and Australia will renew their rivalry in test cricket with the English hosting the Ashes 2023. The Australians have another major engagement in Test Cricket before the first ball is bowled in series with them crossing swords with the Indians in the final of the World Test Championship.
The Australian squad have some fine tuning to do to be in the best shape for the ultimate battle of honor against their arch-rivals. One of the major areas where they need to sort out is the position of the opener. David Warner, who has been a rock at that position over the years has seen his returns diminish in the longest format of the game since the 21/22 season.
Therefore, the Australian Team management is desperate to find an able opener who can either partner or replace Warner as and when the need arises. Let us look at two possible candidates who can be considered for the position in the Ashes.
#1 Cameron Green can be a great pick in the opening slot for Ashes 2023
The young prodigy from Western Australia has played in 20 Tests so far scoring 941 runs at an average of 37.64. He has 1 hundred and 6 half centuries under his belt and is also decent with the ball making him an all-rounder. We all know how essential an allrounder is in Test Cricket.
Now, Green has taken on a new role as an opener and is doing a fine job at that. In the T20I series against India, Green was sent to open in the absence of David Warner and he smashed two half centuries which proved to be a surprise to everyone. In the test series against India, Cameron Green hit his maiden test century in the 4th test at Ahmedabad which ended in a draw. This makes him a strong contender for the opening position.
#2 Travis Head has already been establishing himself in fine shape
After an impressive series in India, Travis Head has also established himself as a choice which the selectors would find tough to ignore. He was omitted in the first test in Nagpur, and then went on to score 235 in six innings at an average of 47. On a turning track in Delhi, Head showed his grit and maintained his composure to score 43 off 46 deliveries and his unbeaten 49 in the second innings in Indore led to Australia winning the only match of the series. He has also impressed in the Australian summer.
The conditions in England are going to be very different from those in Australia and India, but that’s a test that every cricketer needs to face. It remains to be seen whether Head is allowed to sit for the exam.
