Ashes 2023: 'They've to play him' - Nasser Hussain explains why Australia need David Warner in Manchester Test

England won the third Ashes Test, at Leeds, Headingley, by three wickets -- in pursuit of 251 -- as the five-match series is now interestingly poised. Pat Cummins-led Australia still lead 2-1 and will be eager to retain the urn in the fourth and penultimate Test, which commences on July 19 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Before the fourth Test, Cummins & Co. have some issues to address.

With David Warner struggling for runs at the top -he was dismissed by Stuart Broad for a record 17th time in whites during the third Test -a century from comeback man Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green expected to be fit from a hamstring injury, it will be interesting to see if Warner is dropped. If so, Australia will have to shuffle their batting order to accommodate both Green and Marsh. As the series remains wide open, they might want to retain Warner in the playing XI as the left-hander has the potential to turn the game over its head in just a session.

In this regard, former England captain-cum-commentator Nasser Hussain feels Australia would need Warner in the XI for the Manchester Test."It's the decision on David Warner. It is a really tricky thing," Hussain told Sky Sports "I think if they'd won here [third Test at Headingley], and they had won the Ashes, it would have been a time to move on from David Warner, but now it's a live game, I think they need and have to play Warner," he asserted.

Hussain further added, "My point being you could play Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh [all-rounders] and leave Warner out, but then who opens? You might have to move Labuschagne, or even Marsh opens in white-ball cricket at times, so he could do it. But it's a different challenge. That's a specialist role: opening in Test match cricket. They'll have to think long and hard about who opens the batting at Old Trafford."

Captain Cummins was asked about Warner's spot following his side's three-wicket loss in Headingley. At the post-match presser, he stated, "We’ll keep all our options open. We’ve got nine or 10 days now, so we’ll take a deep breath. 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."

Warner has managed scores of 36, 9, 66, 25, 4 and 1 in the ongoing Ashes. It will be interesting to see if he retains his place in the XI for the final two encounters.

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