England vs Australia: Will out-of-form David Warner play 4th Ashes Test? Pat Cummins keeps his options open | Cricket News – Times of India

Australia captain Pat Cummins has emphasized that no decisions have been finalized regarding struggling opener David Warner’s place in the team for the remainder of the Ashes series.
Warner, a left-handed batsman, has indicated his intention to retire from Test cricket after playing against Pakistan at his home ground in Sydney next year. However, the 36-year-old’s desire to exit on his own terms may be in jeopardy following his recent failures against England pacer Stuart Broad, his long-standing nemesis.
Warner endured another disappointing performance in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, scoring just four and one before being dismissed by Broad. The experienced seamer has now taken Warner’s wicket 17 times throughout his Test career.Despite Australia leading the five-match Ashes series 2-1, Warner has struggled to make an impact, averaging a mere 23.50 with only one fifty from six innings. This lack of runs has left the Australian team facing a challenging decision in the nine days leading up to the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
The absence of tour games further complicates matters, making it difficult for reserve batsman Marcus Harris or others to stake their claim for inclusion.
Another possible scenario for Warner’s omission is if Mitchell Marsh, who performed exceptionally well in his first Test since 2019 with a magnificent 118 runs and two wickets as a stand-in for the injured Cameron Green, is retained alongside the expected fit-again Green.

When asked whether Warner could be dropped to accommodate both Marsh and Green in Australia’s playing XI, Cummins said, “We will keep all our options open. With nine or 10 days remaining, we will take a step back and carefully consider our choices.”
“We’ll go away for a few days but everyone comes back into it. Greeny should be fit for Manchester, we should have a full roster. So we’ll have a look at the wicket, have a chat and work out the best XI.”
On whether Marsh could be dropped, Cummins gave a sarcastic reply.
“It’s possible. But it was a pretty impressive week, wasn’t it?” he said.
Australia’s defeat in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, where England successfully chased down a target of 251 runs, marked their first significant setback of the tour.

Australia had recently triumphed in the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval. Cummins himself displayed remarkable batting prowess, guiding Australia to a thrilling two-wicket victory in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston. This was followed by a 43-run win in the second Test at Lord’s.
The encounters against Ben Stokes’s England side have been captivating, with Australia aiming to secure their first Ashes series victory in England in 22 years.
“It’s just tense out there,” said Cummins. “I actually really enjoy being out there and feeling you’ve got some kind of control of the situation when you’re in the middle of it.
“It’s a hundred times worse when you’re in the changing room and you wish you could do something about it but you can’t.”
(With agency inputs)