Warner puts the heat on Aussie top six

David Warner says Usman Khawaja isn’t the only Australian batsman who should be feeling pressure, with the former Test opener calling on the rest of the top six to score big runs after a lean start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Khawaja has scored just 34 runs in the first two Tests and has reached 50 in just one of his past 16 innings for Australia.

But he isn’t the only one desperate for runs, with Steve Smith adding just 19 to the total in his three innings this series, while Marnus Labuschagne secured his position with a handy 64 in Adelaide.

Travis Head has been the only Australian player to score a century this series after his blistering 140 last week, and Warner has called on the batters to dig deep in Brisbane to give the quicks a deserved rest.

“I think the pressure is on all the top order, not just ‘Uzzie’,” he said.

“Travis came out and counterpunched and scored a brilliant hundred, and we know he’s capable of doing it. But it’s everyone else around supporting that.

“It’s not just one player in particular, it’s the top six scoring bulk runs and making sure you’re giving rest to the fast bowlers.

“It was a fast-paced Test in the first game, but this last one was Mitchell Starc at his best as usual with the pink ball.

“Come Brisbane, we need to see some big runs from the top order.”

Warner’s replacement at the top, Nathan McSweeney, has struggled at times but showed what he’s capable of with a dogged 39 in the first innings after surviving a brutal test of his technique under lights.

“He’s had four of probably the five hardest jobs when it comes to an opening batsman, and I think he’s handled it well,” Warner said.

“We saw glimpses the other day of the intent that you show when you’re scoring, and there are a lot of question marks around why they chose him, but the glimpses that you’ve seen, we now know why.

“He’s got a good temperament, I like the way he sets up, and I think he’s got a good future ahead of him.

“It’s just this bowling attack from India is relentless if they bowl in partnerships. If they bowl like they did the other day with just (Jasprit) Bumrah, hopefully the boys can score some big runs against them.”

There have been calls for young gun Sam Konstas to come into the side if Khawaja continues to struggle at the top of the order, but Warner – who will captain him at the Thunder this season – has called for patience.

“That’s up to the selectors,” he said.

“They would have picked him if they thought he was ready by now.”

All eyes will be on the third Test in Brisbane following the fiery confrontation between Head and Indian quick Mohammed Siraj, who gave the centurion some lip when he bowled him that prompted some choice words in return.

Siraj was fined 20 per cent of his match fee, while Head was reprimanded for his actions, with Warner suggesting there’s a time and a place for that sort of behaviour.

“I don’t think there was much in it,” the fiery opener said.

“I think there’s been a lot of airtime about it, but I just feel that there are moments when you can get in and around the opposition, (including) key moments when you’re on top or when things aren’t going your way and you need a bit of energy out there.

“I think it was good, but it wasn’t great with what came of the situation. I think there are other ways to get that out there.

“He’s a fiery customer and we love that, but there are other ways that you can go about it.”