Former Test batsman Ed Cowan says most people agree with Mitchell Johnson’s scathing remarks about David Warner, referring to his former opening partner as a walking wicket in test cricket ahead of his farewell test series against Pakistan, starting on December 14th.
Mitchell Johnson attacked his ex-teammate, doubting the seasoned opener’s place in the team and blaming him for his role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018. Given his recent Test form and involvement in the 2018 Sandpaper incident, he questioned Warner’s selection for a major farewell series against Pakistan on home soil.
Speaking on The Grandstand Cricket Podcast, Ed Cowan defended Mitchell Johnson’s statement about David Warner, stating that he could have controlled his choice of words and anger in his criticism of the Veteran Australian opener and highlighting David Warner’s recent test cricket record.
“Mitch Johnson is saying what 90 percent of people in the pub have been thinking, What I didn’t love – I feel like he would have made a more pertinent argument – was the tone. There was a sense of anger or injustice to it.
“But the actual points around selection, statistically David Warner probably shouldn’t be in the best XI, I think most people agree with,” Ed Cowan said.
David Warner has expressed a wish to play the New Year’s Test at his home ground, the SCG, to cap off his great Test career. In 109 Tests, the southpaw has scored 8487 runs. However, since the start of the 2021 season, the southpaw has averaged less than 30 with the bat and only achieved one century in 25 Test matches, as well as having poor red-ball figures.
The Best Person For The Job Is Either Marnus Labuschagne Or Travis Head – Ed Cowan
Ed Cowan has opened up on the discussion of the potential candidate, who can open the innings for Australia following David Warner’s retirement from test cricket after the completion of the Pakistan test series on home soil and slammed the veteran opener as a walking wicket in the last two years.
” I still think personally the best person for the job is either Marnus or Travis Head, That allows you to pick your best six batters with Cameron Green and Mitch Marsh in the team batting at five and six, and it reshapes the team”.
“I don’t think Travis Head would be that keen on that, but what it does allow is Steve Smith to bat at three, Travis at four, and then your two all-rounders. With Marnus opening the batting, he’s walking out at one for none anyway. David Warner has been a walking wicket for two years now,” Ed Cowan added.
Specialist openers Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Matthew Renshaw all made runs in the Prime Minister’s XI’s match against Pakistan and will be in contention for a spot in the West Indies series. Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne have also been discussed as possible David Warner replacements.
