Former Australian cricketer Callum Ferguson has backed veteran left-handed opener, David Warner, to dominate the side's Test series against India to be held in February-March next year.
His comments come after Warner scored a fantastic double-century in 255 balls in his 100th Test match to give Australia a series-clinching victory by an innings and 182 runs against South Africa in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
After the third and final Test against South Africa at Sydney, Australia's next Test assignment will be a tour of India for four Tests as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Warner, who also crossed the 8000-run mark during the MCG Test, is the most experienced campaigner, having toured the country thrice for Test tours previously. He is yet to make a Test century on Indian soil, averaging just 24.25.
"I think with the form he's shown here, he's got the feeling for batting long again. That's so important for India, if you can get an opener in good form over there, it's flat early in the Test match, bat first and, get a guy to make 150-200, I think he could really be the man to really tear the initial stages up for us," said Ferguson in the post-Boxing Day Test episode of Willow Talk on Triple M Sports radio.
Australia will be more than prepared for the tour of India after performances in Pakistan (where they won three-match series 1-0) and Sri Lanka (1-1 draw in two-match series) over the past 12 months, with players gaining an understanding of playing Test matches in subcontinent conditions.
Ex-Australian cricketer Merv Hughes agreed with Ferguson's views and said he never felt Warner's spot was under threat in the Test team. "No one at Shield level is really putting their hand up and kicking the door down, and that's what you've gotta do.
The fact that we've gone to Big Bash now and no one's played first-class cricket for four weeks makes it increasingly hard for those guys to get a look in."