David Warner is set to retire from Test cricket at the conclusion of the Pakistan series, ending a stellar career in the red-ball international scene over the past 12 years.
The dynamic left-hander has cemented himself as one of the all-time greats over the course of his career in the Baggy Green, scoring countless centuries and more runs than almost any other Australian opener in history.
The 37-year-old is expected to play all three games on home soil against Pakistan, before bowing out at his home ground in Sydney in the new year.
Warner's opening partner and long-time friend, Usman Khawaja, has remained coy on the details of his own retirement plans, but is likely to feature against the West Indies in the back-half of the home summer.
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Speaking on SEN Radio, Khawaja was quizzed on his preference for a new opening partner and urged selectors to prioritise overall class over recent form.
“To be honest, it doesn't really matter to me... whoever the selectors are going to pick, they're going to pick because they think they're the best for the role," he said.
“I don't even believe in the ‘bat-off’ people are talking about right now. I think it is going to come to a lot more than that. You can't pick teams on form. You’ve got to pick teams on who you think the best player is.
“If we pick teams on form, the Australian team would be changing every second week, so you just can't do that. Class is always permanent... form is always temporary."
While first-class runs have always been seen as a prerequisite to make the Test lineup, Warner's exploits over the past 12 years have led to a slight change in mindset.
According to head coach Andrew McDonald, the man to replace the revolutionary retiring star could come from Australia's white-ball setup, especially after recent success in the World Cup.
“I think a lot of our white-ball players that continue to play international cricket don’t get a lot of Shield cricket, so there's always that," he said.
“You’ve got to really juggle that and balance that. We feel as though you can come from different running lines.”
“Everyone sort of looks to the future and worries about what’s next, and someone always puts their hand up."
The Sporting News ranks the potential opening replacements for Warner below.
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1. Mitchell Marsh
He's done it in white-ball cricket and Australian selectors are clearly keen to have him in the Test XI, so there's reason to believe they would shift Mitchell Marsh into Warner's position, at least short-term.
The 32-year-old is a popular member of the playing group and should get first crack at the No.6 position in the upcoming series against Pakistan, but his future beyond that remains unclear due to the presence of Cameron Green.
Should the selectors want to fit both talented all-rounders into the lineup against the West Indies and beyond, Marsh moving up to the top spot and filling the same role as Warner with immense strike-power could be the solution.
Speaking to SEN Radio prior to the opening game in Perth, Marsh refused to put himself at the front of the line to replace Warner and is remaining focused on his current role.
"I'm very reluctant to be a part of the conversation," he said.
"I understand that people have to talk about it and there's obviously a lot of options for this team... but my sole focus is batting at number six, and I thoroughly enjoy that role. That's all I'm focused on this week."
The comments from McDonald regarding white-ball performances could also play into Marsh's favour, should he be open to the idea of switching roles, and could be a potential hint into the future plans in the Test side.
Test captain Pat Cummins believes the West Australian could make the move to the top of the order, similar to his successful white-ball transition in recent years.
“It’s a possibility – you’re open to anything really," he told reporters ahead of the Pakistan series.
"We’ve seen him make that shift in white-ball cricket and put the pressure back on the opening bowlers. Never say never, but I thought what he did at No.6 in The Ashes was pretty impressive."
2. Cameron Bancroft
The front-runner to replace Warner at the top of the order would be quite the ironic choice, given the fact both players will forever be intertwined due to the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Cameron Bancroft hasn't featured at Test level for the past four years, but is in strong form at Sheffield Shield level, topping the run-scoring charts early in the season and staking his claim for higher honours.
The 31-year-old has scored two centuries in six appearances for Western Australia this year and has been named in the Prime Minister's XI tour match against Pakistan, which saw him score 53 from 128 balls.
Bancroft averaged a modest 26.23 during his short stay in the Test team, but has been a standout in the domestic first-class competition for many years and could warrant another opportunity.
3. Matt Renshaw
A player that has had limited chances at Test level but has never been able to cement a position, Matt Renshaw is among the leading candidates to step up to the plate against the West Indies and beyond.
The 27-year-old has been solid for Queensland this season in Shield cricket, scoring one century and averaging in the low-30s, and bringing up a ton in the current Prime Minister's XI fixture.
Renshaw is younger than the other options listed above and has received an endorsement from the departing Warner, who likened him to Aussie great, Matt Hayden.
“I’ve always said Matt Renshaw is a very good player. He can play both formats quite easily. He‘s tall. He’s exactly like Haydos... we spoke about him in the early part of his career," Warner said.
“I‘ve always felt and held him in high regard as a very good player. He’s worked on his technique. He’s been in and out of the squads, and I think he’ll be a great replacement.”
4. Marcus Harris
While it wouldn't be a favourite option for most cricket fans, Marcus Harris has remained in the mix for Australia after being dropped and would be a safe choice for the position, despite his past failures at Test level.
The 31-year-old hasn't been able to replicate his first-class record on the international stage, scoring just three half-centuries in 26 innings in the Baggy Green, before being axed in favour of Usman Khawaja two years ago.
Harris has averaged 31.33 this season in Shield, notching one century, while also scoring 49 in the Prime Minister's XI clash with Pakistan.
5. Marnus Labuschagne
An internal option who could potentially move up one position in the short-term, Marnus Labuschagne has established himself as one of the world's elite Test batsmen in recent years, helping Australia to plenty of success.
However, according to his teammate Khawaja, the 29-year-old may be reluctant to transition away from the coveted No.3 spot after a string of strong performances.
“I’m positive if you put Marnus up there at opening, he would do very well, but would he do as well at opening as he does at three? I’m not sure... I wouldn’t want to take the risk," he said.
“Have you asked Marnus this? “I think he will give you a really clear ‘hell no’.
“Opening can be a very, very tough thing to do, mentally more than physically. so I’m always a bit shy of letting people who haven’t opened much in the past open the batting.”
Labuschagne averages 53.36 in the Test arena since making his debut five years ago, bursting onto the scene during the 2019 Ashes before a tremendous home summer in the 2019/2020 home summer.
Cummins also admitted his own reluctance to move Labuschagne away from his current role, telling reporters at the Fox Cricket launch it would be a difficult decision.
“It’s a tough one – I know that a batter never owns a position, but you want to try and pick your team that’s gonna function the best," he said.
"I think Marnus at No.3 has been impressive, so you’ve got to make a pretty compelling case to move some of your highest-performing players out of their position."
6. Sam Whiteman
The first potential Test debutant on this list, Sam Whiteman has been a more than honest first-class cricketer for a number of years, becoming a staple of the West Australian batting lineup and captaining the team in recent years.
With over 100 appearances in the Sheffield Shield competition, Whiteman averages 36.78 throughout his career, scoring 13 centuries for his state and has been in solid form this season.
The 31-year-old is in the prime of his career and if selectors wanted to go in a completely fresh direction, Whiteman might be the man for the job.
7. Travis Head
We saw it briefly in the tour of India earlier this year, but is there a genuine possibility that Travis Head opens the batting on a permanent basis at Test level?
The 29-year-old has proven himself to be a valuable asset in the middle-order in recent years, but could offer the same dynamic power-hitting at the top of the order as Warner did throughout his own career.
It would also allow selectors to feature both Green and Marsh in the middle-order, giving the Aussies a true point of difference in their batting lineup.
8. Henry Hunt
One of the wildcards in the race to fill the void is Henry Hunt, who still has his best cricket in front of him despite a strong first-class record to date.
The 26-year-old has scored eight centuries for South Australia across 43 matches, including one score of triple-figures throughout the opening stages of this season, which has been somewhat mixed from an individual standpoint.
Hunt is likely down the pecking order in the short-term, but given the lack of genuine opening batsmen across the country, he could certainly be a player of the future.
9. Bryce Street
Another younger player with plenty of upside, Queensland opener Bryce Street has already scored six tons in first-class cricket with an average of 34.28 early in his career.
The 25-year-old hasn't set the world on fire this season but with a steady temperament and age on his side, could become a long-term replacement for either Warner or Khawaja in the Aussie team.
10. Will Pucovski
The forgotten man of Australian cricket in recent years, Will Pucovski has made a quiet return in Sheffield Shield this season and has begun to recapture his old form after a number of concussion setbacks.
The 25-year-old has been steady for Victoria and remains hopeful of a Test recall in the coming years, but ruled out a potential comeback in the upcoming summer despite his desire to pull on Baggy Green.
"That has never gone away and probably never will... there's a long road ahead in my cricket career," he told 9 News.
"The set of circumstances I've been dealt, it's probably a little way down the road still - [I'm] just so happy to be playing consistently. Hopefully get a Shield season or two under my belt and then worry about the Australian side."
Head selector George Bailey also revealed there had been no discussions regarding Pucovski's future, but remains optimistic about his long-term potential.