David Warner has revealed his preferred successor in the Test arena with the veteran batsman edging ever closer to his Australia swansong at the SCG next month.
Debate has raged throughout the summer about his ideal replacement after the 37-year-old confirmed he would be retiring from red ball cricket upon the conclusion of his side’s three-match series against Pakistan.
Who will replace David Warner as Australia’s next Test opener? Marcus Harris tipped to take over from veteran
Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matthew Renshaw have been viewed as the leading contenders to accompany Usman Khawaja at the start of the innings.
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Meanwhile, current Aussie regulars Marnus Labuschagne and Mitch Marsh have also been put forward as solutions to move up the order.
Speaking after the opening day of the Boxing Day Test, Warner opened up on his favoured pick to take over as the nation’s Test opener.
"It is obviously up to the selectors but from my position, I feel like the person who has worked their backside off and has been there for a while in the background is Harris," Warner said.
The 31-year-old, who has already featured in 14 Test matches for Australia, was identified as Warner’s ideal replacement by the man himself due to his similarly aggressive style with the bat.
"He’s always been the person who’s next in line," Warner declared.
"So, if the selectors show their faith in him, then I’m sure he’ll come out and play the way he does. You know, he’s not too dissimilar to me - if he sees it in his areas, he goes for it and plays his shots."
During his limited Test career to date, the left-hander has an average of 25.29, while Harris has endured a tough Sheffield Shield campaign so far where he has made just 282 runs in nine innings.
Rival candidate Bancroft leads the way in this regard as he currently tops the run-scoring charts at the halfway point of the domestic season after plundering 512 runs at 56.88.
Harris received his first call-up to the national side in the 2018/19 series against India after making the move to Victoria two years earlier where he continued his impressive record with the bat.
"What he's done to his great credit is, he's become a really consistent opening batsman with flashes of brilliance," head coach at the time, Justin Langer, said upon his selection.
Harris made an encouraging start in the Baggy Green, notching two half-centuries during a 2-1 series loss against the Indians.
However, he lost his place to the returning Warner before bouncing in and out of the side in the ensuing years until he was eventually permanently displaced by Khawaja, who he will likely form a partnership with at the top of the order if he is chosen ahead of the other contenders.