Amidst talks over who becomes David Warner’s replacement in Tests following his retirement, Cameron Bancroft staked his claim to become the next first-choice opener for Australia’s Test side, stating he has put his heart and soul into becoming an opening batter.
The swashbuckling Warner’s retirement from Tests has sparked debate around who will replace the iconic opener and pair up with Usman Khawaja. Bancroft, Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green and Steven Smith are some of the names that have been making the rounds within the selectors.
But Bancroft claims that there is truly no replacing someone iconic like Warner, yet bringing in a specialist opener such as himself would be the way to move forward for the Aussies.
“No doubt we play cricket in different ways, but as we’ve seen over the years, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. There’s only one David Warner, only one Usman Khawaja. Everyone’s unique in how they play their cricket. Cricket means the world to me and I’ve put my heart and soul into developing my game as an opening batter.”
“At the end of the day, it’s not my call and it’s not my decision. But I’ve tried to focus on doing well in that position and the selectors have always said to me that being a top order batter and playing really well in that position is the position they’ve seen me in. I’ve taken that advice on board and done the best I can to score as many runs in Shield cricket,” exclaimed Bancroft at a presser.
Bancroft was the leading run-scorer in last season’s Sheffield Shield with 945 runs at an average of 59.06, and he again tops the current season’s charts with 512 at 56.88.
Bancroft returned to the Test team briefly after serving his one-year ban for his role in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town, where he managed scores of just 8, 7, 13 and 16 in his four innings in the 2019 Ashes in England.
“I’ve had some conversations (with selectors) over the last 12 months or so and asked some questions about what I can do to improve,” Bancroft said.
He also stated that there would be no issues with him having to play under the leadership of skipper Pat Cummins and believes that the camaraderie would not be affected in the slightest.
“It’s his cricket team, he’s the captain. No doubt he’s got his feelings and opinions and things like that. Knowing Pat as well, he’s a professional too and I have no issues that he wouldn’t be very logical and professional around making that decision.”
“I still run into those players plenty of times over the last couple of years. I’ve certainly felt nothing but business as usual with how you interact with people. What’s happened in the past has been and gone now. I know those guys feel the same… and I feel like it wouldn’t be an issue should I come into the environment.”
Bancroft is also of the firm belief that his past will only prove to be a learning experience as he moves on ahead with his career and personal life.
“The past has been a great ground for me to learn things about myself. I feel like I definitely owe it to my country to put those lessons into play… One of the lessons I have learned over the time is to be able to take control of your own actions and responsibilities. They are definitely values that have risen to the surface for me, and I have tried to apply them to all aspects of my life and to my cricket to make me a better person.”
(inputs from agencies)
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