David Warner spills the beans on real reason Cameron Bancroft won't be picked in Test team

Retired Test cricket great David Warner has named his favourite for the Aussie opening role after revealing why he doesn't believe selectors will pick Cameron Bancroft. The West Australian opener is one of a number of leading candidates to take Warner's former role partnering Usman Khawaja at the top of the order for Australia, ahead of the five-Test series against India, starting later this month.

Bancroft has been the leading Sheffield Shield run scorer for the last two seasons but has begun the current campaign in worrying form, with scores of 0, 0, 8 and 2 in his two matches for WA. Bancroft followed those meagre totals with scores of 0 and 16 for Australia A in last week's victory over India A, in which Nathan McSweeney was the only Test contender to really impress with the bat after scores of 36 and 88 not out.

As well as Bancroft's lack of form this season, there are also lingering doubts around his relationship with the Aussie bowlers, following his previous comments about the infamous ball-tampering scandal. Bancroft accepted his ban and took responsibility for applying sandpaper to the ball during the 2018 Test tour of South Africa but suggested the bowlers - all of whom are still in the Test side - must have known what was happening.

Australia's bowlers have always denied any knowledge of the ball-tampering plot and Bancroft says he believes the ugly saga is a thing of the past. Warner was widely branded as the chief architect of the plot but says if Bancroft is once again overlooked by Aussie Test selectors, it will be because of deficiencies in his batting technique and not because of what's happened in the past.

David Warner explains why Cameron Bancroft might miss out

Speaking on Fox Cricket's coverage of Australia's ODI victory against Pakistan on Monday night, Warner believes Bancroft could struggle against India's pace attack because of a tendency for him to plant his front foot to point when driving and defending - leaving him susceptible to LBWs and caught behinds. “There’s no air speed at the moment in Shield cricket, and you’re playing at venues that don’t bounce,” Warner explained.

“With Cameron Bancroft, his foot’s still out to point. If someone was bowling 145km/h, he’s still going to make the same mistake. In my eyes, it’s about his front foot being pointed out to point. When there’s faster air speed, when the bowlers are bowling faster, he’s going to get rolled through, LBW or he’ll get caught in the slips cordon. He had that trouble when he was playing for Australia.”

Former Australian spinner Kerry O’Keeffe also says he believes Bancroft could be found out against a quality Indian pace attack. “Bancroft is a very good player, but he still gets out to good balls,” O’Keeffe said. “The best openers stay in against the good balls. Cameron is still getting out to them.”

Nathan McSweeney putting up strong case for Test call-up

Warner singled out McSweeney as his top choice to partner Khawaja for the Aussies even though the South Australian captain normally bats at No.3 and is not a traditional opener. “McSweeney’s a talent,” Warner said. “They can run the gauntlet with him opening the batting. I know he bats No. 3 for South Australia, but I think there’s leadership qualities there as well.”

In contrast to Bancroft, McSweeney has been in sensational form this season, top-scoring in both innings of Australia A's victory over India A to go with his scores of 55, 127no, 37 and 72 in the Sheffield Shield this season. McSweeney is averaging 97 batting at No.3 for South Australia in the Shield this season and also cracked a brilliant century in the One Day Cup.

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Aussie captain Pat Cummins has already indicated it's possible McSweeney could be thrust into the Test opener role, or bat at No.3 with Marnus Labuschagne promoted to opener. But he says the order will be decided once selectors decide on which batter they're going with - likely to be on either Friday or Saturday after the first innings of the next Australia A v India A match in Melbourne this week.

with AAP