.10 months complying with David Warner's Examination retirement life, Australia is actually no place near closer to finding a replacement.The one selection mystery in front of this summer season's Border-Gavaskar Trophy remains the identification of Usman Khawaja's opening companion, a storyline that controlled the rear web page of papers final summer.Ahead of January's Frank Worrell Prize, Steve Johnson rose to opener to make room for Cameron Environment-friendly in the middle order, permitting the nation's six best concoctions to suit the very same beginning XI.But four Examination matches eventually, there are actually rumblings of one more change to Australia's hitting order before the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Prize, which receives underway in Perth next month.Watch India v New Zealand LIVE & special to Fox Sports, on call on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free test today > Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh as well as Environment-friendly have actually each expressed hesitation when asked them about the possibility of opening, while the rear personal injury Green experienced in the UK last month generated more intrigue about the Examination edge's cosmetics. The first number of rounds of Sheffield Cover activity, which begins Tuesday, might provide a clue for the nationwide selectors' goals the condition coaches have actually presented they're willing to change their starting XI to assist ready Australia's Exam stars for the home summer season. If Johnson opened the hitting for the Blues this month, for instance, it would propose he is actually a good possibility to deal with the new round against India.Regardless, the prevailing feeling is actually that if nationwide selectors do not generate a professional opener for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a propitiatory lamb within the team are going to require to move up the purchase to encounter the brand new ball.Usman Khawaja of Australia. Photo through Kai Schwoerer/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesSTEVE SMITHDespite being actually Australia's incumbent Exam opener, it seems progressively unexpected that Steve Johnson will certainly experience the new ball versus India next summer.The New South Welshman enthusiastically drove his instance to substitute Warner at the top of the purchase final summer season, which consequently supported Eco-friendly's come back to the Exam side. 2 birds, one stone.Smith, that had actually never ever opened just before at first-class amount, clipped an unbeaten 91 versus the West Indies in the pink-ball Examination at the Gabba, albeit in a losing trigger. Having said that, iconoclasts stayed after the right-hander enrolled scores of 31, 0, 11 as well as 9 throughout the Exam excursion of New Zealand, trapped LBW in both innings in Christchurch.When examined regarding what task he will play in the Exam edge this summertime, Johnson seemed less excited about the prospect of opening the hitting." I'm comfortable batting everywhere," Johnson said to Fox Cricket in August." Our experts'll find what that resembles, I intend, whether they wish me to carry on (opening) or even go back to three or 4. Our experts'll wait and observe." I am actually fairly very easy hitting anywhere. Our team'll simply find what stacks up as well as what the mind trust yearns for." Smith includes a terrific file at No. 4 in Examinations, accumulating 5966 perform at 61.50 along with 19 centuries it is actually why opening up partner Usman Khawaja will prefer to see his previous captain come back to second drop his summer months." Opening is actually a really necessary location ... (yet) I still think our company possess the best Test gamer of my period in the side, in Steve Smith, and his best spot has actually been variety four," Khawaja said to Fox Cricket final month." I believe that that's his ideal area." Steve Johnson of Australia. Image by Pat Hoelscher/ AFPSource: AFPFormer Australian representative Simon Katich, that properly transitioned coming from a middle-order batter to an Exam opener, feels Johnson is entitled to an additional chance on top of the order." It's still extremely early in Johnson's position occupation," Katich informed the Cricket Et Al podcast last month." He is actually just performed it in New Zealand and a number of Exams versus the West Indies. It can take time to readjust. Like any sort of problem, when you perform it often as well as you obtain used to it, you produce a strategic plan as to how you are actually going to handle it and I think he is actually most likely still overcoming that." I would certainly back him to be able to beat that difficulty as well as I think he's experienced good enough and satisfactory to trouble solve as all of us understand." MARNUS LABUSCHAGNEThe prospect of Marnus Labuschagne opening up the batting in Tests feels less jerky than other possibilities considering that the switch from No. 3 to opener isn't as drastic.The Queenslander, who has occupied the No. 3 area in the Examination side for over five years, is more than capable of facing the opening ball, going out to baseball bat with Australia but to rack up a run on 8 occasions.He has opened the hitting 15 times at top-notch level with an average of 34.86, marking a century for Glamorgan in the Region Champion in May."( Labuschagne) has actually got the capability to accomplish it. For the crew also, they'll be dealing with what is actually the ideal set-up for the side," previous England concoction Ian Bell pointed out in 2015." He's been therefore prosperous, his numbers are actually incredible, absolutely in Australia also in the job he plays. There's no doubt he might do it." In spite of a type slump over the past 18 months, Labuschagne has actually been actually Australia's a lot of regular No. 3 Exam concoction because Ricky Ponting, averaging 51.78 featuring 11 centuries at first drop.However, his altitude would trigger another rejig in the center order along with Johnson out of placement at first decline relocating Labuschagne to opener resolves a trouble while making 2 brand-new ones.Marnus Labuschagne of Australia. Photograph by Kai Schwoerer/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesTRAVIS HEADFollowing his current effectiveness in the white-ball arena, Head has actually become a prominent prospect to bat along with Khawaja in the Examination field this summer, following in the steps of Warner through opening up in each 3 formats.Shifting the South Australian as much as open would allow Smith to return to his recommended No. 4 position, yet nationwide selectors might hesitate to part ways with his counterattacking type between purchase." Head goes to the cutting edge of that queue even though he doesn't actually intend to be," Information Corporation media reporter Robert Craddock informed SEN Whateley final month. "I do not presume he observes themself as an opening baseball bat in Test cricket." There is a little a padding if he stops working since it had not been his program, he never offered services to go certainly there. So if he fails, he has the biker of mentioning, 'Hey, I was going wonderfully alright down the purchase, by the way'." He's the superior favourite for the posture currently." Head has actually opened the hitting just before at Exam level, albeit only for three suits during in 2014's Border-Gavaskar Trophy initiative in India after Detector endured a possession personal injury. During a series where the majority of Australia's concoctions had a hard time for consistency, he notched 223 perform at 55.75 in five knocks, while he is actually expected to return to that setting for following year's Examination tour of Sri Lanka.The left-hander confessed he enjoyed opening up the hitting on India's switching decks in 2015 as it enabled him to clear up into his innings versus the quicks." For me, it is actually wherever we line up better as a staff," Head told Fox Cricket when asked about the proposal of opening in Sri Lanka next year." I enjoy where I go to." It seemed to be to work, being a little even more aggressive on top, it thought that I acquired on my own into the game, which behaved in those health conditions, experiencing swift bowling to begin with." It relies on the crew's situation ... whatever mix our team throw away, it won't influence how the staff manages." Australia's Travis Scalp. Photo through Sanka Vidanagama/ AFPSource: AFPMeanwhile, there have actually been actually lingering issues regarding Scalp's susceptability to short-pitched bowling, which might be bared versus the new ball on Australia's quick decks."( India) is going to jump the black out of him," Australian cricket legend Allan Border said to Information Corp recently." He carries out not play the short ball as well as a few other. He does not duck." Regardless, Khawaja has tossed his support supporting Head opening up the hitting this summertime, stating he was the most ideal option in Australia's current beginning XI." I feel like Travis Head may be greatest fit," Khawaja said to Fox Cricket final month." He's undoubtedly been actually very successful opening the batting in one-day cricket and also, breaking it down, I will perhaps lean towards him." The confidence transactions over. When you're seeing the ball properly, scoring tons of runs and also not much is actually undergoing your head, it is actually a fantastic area to be." Following the very first ODI against England at Trent Link, Crown confirmed he understood the developing speculation regarding his role in the Exam side." Maintain the chatter, it creates it exciting," Scalp smirked throughout the post-match press conference." I am actually not heading to study that. I'll only allow that participate in out." CAMERON GREENHeading in to the previous Exam summer season, Green was actually looked at a genuine choice to replace Detector when the professional opener disconnected the boots.There wasn't any type of space for Veggie in the Exam side's mid purchase complying with Mitchell Wetland's outstanding Headingley century during the Ashes, but nationwide selectors were eager to find an opportunity for the West Australian.And although the idea was essentially broken up in favor of Smith's elevation, it could be revisited in advance of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Green, that has certainly never opened up at excellent degree, earlier signified that No. 4 was his popular spot in red-ball cricket, along with the right-hander thumping a career-best 174 certainly not out against New Zealand at 2nd decrease earlier this year." There is actually no doubt in my mind he may (open)," Watson said to ESPNcricinfo previously the year." Australia needs to have to obtain Cameron Environment-friendly in to the team and the opportunity that you have actually solved now is for him to open up. They'll merely have to handle his bowling, without a doubt, like along with my bowling when I was opening the hitting. However he absolutely has actually acquired the ability, the run-scoring capacity as well as the understanding to be able to take advantage of being a position batter without a doubt. It could take him a game or two merely to become capable to work out precisely what his strategy is actually. But he is actually certainly received the activity and also the mindset to maximize it." On the other hand, Australia encounters a tense wait on Environment-friendly's accessibility for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after the all-rounder experienced a back trauma in the UK final month. Hanging the seriousness of the trauma, he may work as an expert batter.Cameron Veggie of Australia. Photo through Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesMITCHELL MARSHLast summer months, Mitchell Marsh did his absolute best to brush aside inquiries about potentially opening the hitting in Exams." Exactly how do I answer this without bring in a headline?" Wetland contemplated at the time." For me ... I've functioned truly difficult to get back within this edge and for me to eagerly anticipate possessing a duty as an opener only does not make sense to me." I love being at amount 6 as well as in my final 4 Test suits I have actually actually located my way as well as I suppose who I am actually as an Examination cricketer and also I'm liking it, so I'm reluctant to alter that." Wetland's brother and father effectively opened the batting in Tests, while the West Australian has a nice report when encountering the brand new reception in one-day cricket.However, the ruling Allan Perimeter Medallist has been Australia's most constant concoction considering that he returned to the Test side last year, and also nationwide selectors might hesitate to switch him coming from No. 6. In a pillar for the 9 papers final summer, Australian tale Greg Chappell labelled Marsh a "powerful" possibility to substitute Detector at the top of the purchase." His explosive batting design, blended with a potential to handle speed, settings him as the greatest applicant," Chappell created back then." Wetland's proficiency in attacking down the ground as well as executing highly effective hooks and also reduces is actually suitable to counter-attack prompt bowling." Former England captain Michael Vaughan likewise drifted the suggestion in front of in 2015's Ashes series when Warner was actually under pressure to maintain his place in the Exam side.Australia's Mitchell Meadow bright. Photo through Pat Hoelscher/ AFPSource: AFPAlthough Wetland has certainly never baseball batted higher than No. 5 in Sheffield Cover all over 95 innings for Western Australia, he participates in fast bowling as well as any individual in the country." In this modern-day game, it's good to possess a position batsman that looks to be practical, tries to take the game on," former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin mentioned on the Willow Talk podcast in 2015."( Marsh) gets size as easy as any individual in this particular Australian team. He's dealt with a bunch of fast bowling in the West." When there's possibilities I do not mind his label and also find exactly how he goes at the leading of the order." SOMEONE ELSEAustralian coach Andrew McDonald has actually suggested it would be actually very unexpected for a specialist opener to be drafted in from outside the XI, saying again that the leading six coming from the New Zealand collection would certainly stay for the initial Test against India." Our team believe as though that the staff that ended up in New Zealand, must they acquire a tidy perform at it as well as be properly readied, at that point they will be the best-placed gamers to fill that, there is actually no doubt regarding that," McDonald told SEN earlier this month.However, those opinions happened before Green's back injury, which might unlock for a professional opener to glide in to the Test side.Matthew Renshaw is the incumbent extra batter, having actually travelled New Zealand along with the Examination side earlier this year, but the Queenslander might have slid down the hierarchy following an underwhelming summer in the Sheffield Shield.Victorian opener Marcus Harris was actually also featured in the Test squad last year, however similarly fell out of favour because of his drab top-notch efficiencies, while Nic Maddinson has actually remained in outstanding Sheffield Guard form.Cameron Bancroft of Western Australia. Image through Can Russell/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesHowever, ought to a specialist opener be needed for the Perth Test versus India, home town hero Cameron Bancroft is a leading candidate.The West Australian has been in brilliant kind in the Sheffield Shield over the final 24 months, assembling 1728 runs at 54.00 during the course of that period, including 10 hundreds.Bancroft possesses a riches of expertise against the new reception as well as would be actually well-appointed to deal with Indian quicks Jasprit Bumrah and also Mohammad Siraj this summer." Against an even more standard Exam suit assault like India I prefer to pick a standard opener," Perimeter carried on." I would get back to Bancroft. I am gratifying performance." I'm not heading to state I sympathize with Bancroft, however you might also certainly not worry about possessing a Sheffield Defense competition if you do not compensate its own leading artists.".