opinionMitchell Johnson: Australia could do worse than recall specialist opener Cameron Bancroft for the AshesMitchell JohnsonThe West AustralianSun, 2 November 2025 2:00AMCommentsComments
More than two years ago, I wrote that if Cameron Bancroft missed out on Australia’s 2023 Ashes squad, there’d have to be more to it than cricket.
He’d piled up nearly 300 more runs than anyone else in the Sheffield Shield, making 945 runs at 59.1, while Marcus Harris made 601 at 37.6. Bancroft wasn’t offered a national contract; Harris was, and it felt like the writing was already on the wall.
Fast-forward to now, as we head into another Ashes series and not much has changed. The faces are a little different, the rumours louder, but the problem remains the same: Australia still haven’t settled on a partner for Usman Khawaja at the top of the Test order.
The 2025/26 shield season has produced plenty of runs and even more noise, but has anyone forced the selectors’ hand?
There are familiar names — Bancroft, Harris, Matt Renshaw, and a few emerging ones, such as Henry Hunt, Jason Sangha, Campbell Kellaway, Jack Clayton, Nathan McSweeney, and Jake Lehmann, all top-five batters and some openers who are scoring runs and have good averages this season.
But the biggest talking point right now isn’t a specialist opener at all. It’s Marnus Labuschagne. While not yet confirmed, reports of Labuschagne opening with Khawaja come as no surprise. Australia have opted against specialist openers in recent seasons.
If the selectors decide to recall Labuschagne, I’d rather him at No.3. He has been dropped, asked to go away and work on his game, which he has been doing, scoring two hundreds and leading the runs this shield season. So, for me, the most practical and positive position for him is three for his mindset coming in and for the team’s balance.
I hope him opening isn’t happening and it’s just media hype, because it would be a sign of how uncertain things still are at the top. When you start shuffling world-class players out of position to fill a gap, it’s an admission that no one else has grabbed the spot, and it’s been proven not to work with the Steve Smith opening experiment.
Bancroft has put his name forward once again with a hundred and a half century for Western Australia this week. Bancroft has stayed fit, stayed focused, and by all accounts, remained one of the most consistent red-ball performers in the country. Yet his name doesn’t seem to gather momentum the way it should.
Form should be the only currency that counts. If there are personal issues or lingering politics from the past, the fallout from Cape Town in 2018 or his subsequent comments, then those needed to be left behind.
Bancroft served his time, as many say about Smith, who will start the Ashes as captain. Bancroft is a specialist opener who has shown the ability to make hundreds at shield level throughout his career. Runs are runs.
If Australia’s top order is still unsettled after all this time, maybe it’s worth revisiting the bloke who’s been scoring mountains of runs for years without fuss or fanfare. Whether selectors admit it or not, Bancroft remains one of the country’s best and most mentally hardened openers in shield cricket.
There’s a new generation pushing and their time is coming. Sam Konstas has had a few goes at it, and for him it’s simple: play shield cricket for a year or two and build his game from there.
Jake Weatherald’s resurgence has been another storyline — he’s scored heavily and brings an attacking edge that selectors might see as useful in modern Test cricket. If they go with Usman at the top, Weatherall could complement him well as the aggressor.
Harris is still in the frame too, mainly through experience and continuity. He’s played enough Tests to know the demands of opening, but hasn’t yet turned those chances into a long-term hold on the position.
Renshaw sits in a similar bracket — talented, adaptable, and has been on the outer for a while now, but he has had those years in the shield to hone his game for the big stage.
The talk around Labuschagne opening and Cam Green at three doesn’t quite feel right with Green batting at four for WA, but it’s also a reflection of the mindset with the batting order instead of rewarding consistent performers.
What this all shows is that Australia’s top order is in transition. David Warner’s retirement left a void that remains unfilled. Khawaja, 39 next month, is holding on.
I truly believe two new openers are needed before getting to this scenario, but the Ashes and the loss of Pat Cummins’ experience may impact the top-order decisions. It’s time for the next generation to start stepping up soon, and for those consistent performers to get a crack.
It’s a fascinating time because the talent pool is deeper than we think. It will always seem like there is nothing coming through when you see veterans close to retirement, and questions are asked about who’s good enough to take over from these guys.
Labuschagne might be a short-term fix as an opener. Green might flourish at three. But sooner or later, Australia need to reward genuine top-order batsmen who have done the work in shield cricket.
Until then, it feels like we’re still having the same discussion we did two or three years ago.
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