Warner backs Konstas for Ashes, prefers Labuschagne at No. 3

David Warner has urged Australia's selectors to stick with Sam Konstas for the first Ashes in Perth believing he has the game to take on England's fast bowlers.

Australia have been through a revolving door of partners for Usman Khawaja since Warner's retirement in early 2024. Konstas, who is the incumbent but made just 50 runs in six innings against West Indies earlier this year, is one of five options used across the last 15 Tests.

The selection race will resume this week with the second round of the Sheffield Shield, where Konstas will feature for New South Wales against Victoria at Junction Oval, facing an attack including Scott Boland and Fergus O'Neill.

Konstas endured a difficult first outing of the domestic season with scores of 4 and 14 against Western Australia in Perth on what Nathan Lyon termed a "naughty" WACA pitch while NSW coach Greg Shipperd also urged context around Konstas' returns.

Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne peeled off 160 for Queensland, which came between two one-day hundreds as he makes a compelling case for a recall and looms as another opening option.

"I'd like them to try and probably stick with Sam and give him a crack," Warner said at Kayo Sports' Summer of Cricket launch in Sydney. "He scored that hundred in the Australian A series [in India last month]. He batted outstanding there.

"I don't think we've seen exactly what we know Sam Konstas can do. Last year... he probably got overwhelmed by the occasion and we saw some very highlighted cricket. But I've seen him build innings, I've seen him play some fantastic innings and I'd like to see him go back to just doing that."

David Warner picks who he thinks should open alongside Usman Khawaja in the Ashespic.twitter.com/yFvMI9XWHF

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When Konstas made his debut at the MCG against India he was picked with the specific role of disrupting Jasprit Bumrah, who had dominated Australia's top order. He was an immediate success in that role with 60 off 65 balls and then produced two cameos at the SCG. However, he was left out in Sri Lanka, when Travis Head opened in a conditions-specific selection, before being tasked with taking on difficult batting conditions in the Caribbean.

Warner believes his early salvos in Test cricket left him uncertain about the tempo needed for sustained success but, while acknowledging England have a stock of fast bowlers, does not see their attack needing such a left-field approach.

"They don't have a Jasprit Bumrah so he doesn't have to worry about that," Warner said. "They've got some fast bowlers but he can tackle that.

"Last year, I felt like he just got caught up in the occasions. He got caught up in thinking it was the only way to play that way against Bumrah and then did it to the other players.

"I don't think he needed to change his game to the other bowlers. He could have just stayed there and played the normal way. There was one guy that was getting a lot of people out and… [Konstas] just didn't want to get out to him because he was bringing the ball back in.

"He countered that and he could have went back in and just batted normally. So I think if he can work out that and identify those periods, I think he'll go a long way."

Warner added that Labuschagne had probably already done enough to return to the line-up but was less convinced about him opening. "I think when you've got a lot of Test cricket under your belt, you know what he's capable of and know what he can do," he said. "If someone's averaging 50 in Test cricket, you've probably got to go back to that. Does he open? I wouldn't like to see him open. I'd like him to shuffle back down to three."

If Labuschagne did return at No. 3, it would mean pushing Cameron Green down the order and would leave Beau Webster struggling to retain his place. Webster has been forced to sit out the opening two rounds of the Shield with an ankle injury but, barring a major form slump on his return, is expected to be part of the squad for Perth.