Ross Taylor backs David Warner to come good, secure position in Australia's starting eleven against India in WTC final

Warner will be looking forward to overcoming his lean patch during his stint with Delhi Capitals in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. He will be leading the side this season in absence of Indian star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from injuries sustained in a horrific car accident last year.

Last year in 20 innings across 11 Tests, he scored 571 runs at an average of 30.05, with a ton and two fifties. His numbers were boosted immensely by a double ton in Boxing Day Test against South Africa, but since then, he has scored only 36 runs in four innings.

Warner left the Test series against India midway after suffering a concussion and elbow injury in the second Test after scoring only 26 runs in three innings during the series. On the other hand, Travis Head has impressed in every opportunity he has got in place of Warner.

But the veteran still has the backing of former NZ great to open along with Usman Khawaja in the WTC final.

"Davey's (Warner) played a lot of cricket, over 100-odd Test matches. You give these guys a little bit more leeway than you would a youngster. He has been playing cricket all over the world and has had success, and I am sure this Australia team would back him."

"If he can score some runs and lead from the front for Delhi, I am sure that would give him a lot of confidence leading into the WTC Final and the Ashes as well," added Warner.

But Warner has struggled in English conditions in the past, where the Ashes series against England is taking place from June 16 onwards. He has scored only 95 runs in England in the last 10 innings during the Ashes campaign there back in 2019. To make matters worse, his IPL schedule could leave him with very little to no time to prepare for such conditions. IPL final is scheduled for May 28 and WTC final will take place on June 7, leaving very little room for both teams to prepare for the marquee red-ball clash.

"That week or so that both teams have before that Test match is going to be key. Especially when you come from the T20 format into Test cricket, there is an adjustment. But players are quite used to making that adjustment quite quickly now," said Taylor.

Australia will be playing Ashes in England after the WTC final. The most recent Ashes series in England ended in a 2-2 draw, while the Aussies clean-swept England by 4-0 in 2021/22 at home. They will be eyeing their first Ashes win in England. Taylor has warned that this could prove to be a distraction for Australia around the WTC final.

"Australia will have an eye on the Ashes series. Their main objective would obviously be to win that (WTC Final) Test match, but consciously or subconsciously they would have an eye on the Ashes," concluded Taylor. (ANI)