Warner has a compelling case to rejoin the XI after crunching 193 for Australia A against South Africa A in Pretoria, although coach and selector Darren Lehmann said that the left-hander was not a certainty to play.
Former Australian Test speedster Brett Lee has urged Australia to reinstate 'bad boy' batsman David Warner to take the attack to England for the crucial third Ashes Test at Old Trafford, which begins from Thursday.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Warner has a compelling case to rejoin the XI after crunching 193 for Australia A against South Africa A in Pretoria, although coach and selector Darren Lehmann said that the left-hander was not a certainty to play.
The report further said that Warner has played each of his 19 Tests as an opener but had been slated for a role in the middle order before being suspended and sent to South Africa for match practice after punching England's Joe Root at a Birmingham bar in June.
Stating that it was time to bring back Warner in place of Chris Rogers, who followed up a fighting half-century in the first Test with two ungainly dismissals at Lord's, Lee said that he wants to see the explosive batsman back at the top of the order in a move designed to put the English fast bowlers off their game.
According to Lee, Australia needed a match winner like Warner to inject confidence back into the team, adding that even though Rogers has got good figures and has done well, a player like Warner is the ideal partner for a figure like Shane Watson as they would not back down to the English.
The former Test spearhead further said that players like Warner should be given a chance as he will be determined not to bow down to England even if he does not get much runs, adding that Warner would also be prepared for the likely barrage of banter and baiting from the England team while he is at the crease.
Stating that there was a lot of gamesmanship or sledging happening against Warner in South Africa, Lee also said that Warner, however, managed to embrace those issues and made 193, which proves that he is not easily vulnerable to sledging.
Lee also said that Warner has proven that he is hungry to play Test cricket again.
Phillip Hughes and Steve Smith are also in danger of losing their places, but both made decent scores in the tour match last week against Sussex, the report added.
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