.10 months observing David Warner's Examination retirement, Australia is nowhere near closer to locating a replacement.The one assortment mystery ahead of this summer months's Border-Gavaskar Prize remains the identification of Usman Khawaja's opening up partner, a storyline that controlled the rear web page of newspapers final summer.Ahead of January's Frank Worrell Trophy, Steve Johnson was elevated to opener to make room for Cameron Green between purchase, allowing for the nation's six finest concoctions to suit the very same starting XI.But 4 Exam matches eventually, there are rumblings of one more change to Australia's batting order in front of the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Prize, which acquires underway in Perth next month.Watch India v New Zealand LIVE & special to Fox Sports, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today > Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh as well as Environment-friendly have each shown objection when asked them about the prospect of position, while the rear trauma Eco-friendly suffered in the United Kingdom final month developed more plan regarding the Examination edge's makeup. The 1st number of arounds of Sheffield Cover action, which begins Tuesday, could possibly deliver an idea for the nationwide selectors' intentions the condition trains have revealed they're willing to readjust their starting XI to assist prepare Australia's Examination stars for the home summer months. If Johnson opened up the batting for cry this month, as an example, it will suggest he's a decent opportunity to experience the brand-new sphere against India.Regardless, the dominating belief is actually that if nationwide selectors don't introduce a specialist opener for the Border-Gavaskar Prize, a sacrificial lamb within the team are going to require to move up the order to encounter the new ball.Usman Khawaja of Australia. Picture by Kai Schwoerer/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesSTEVE SMITHDespite being actually Australia's necessary Exam opener, it seems more and more improbable that Steve Johnson will definitely face the brand-new round versus India next summer.The New South Welshman readily drove his scenario to replace Warner on top of the purchase final summer, which consequently satisfied Green's come back to the Test edge. Two birds, one stone.Smith, who had never opened before at excellent level, cracked an unbeaten 91 versus the West Indies in the pink-ball Test at the Gabba, albeit in a shedding source. Nevertheless, iconoclasts stayed after the right-hander registered scores of 31, 0, 11 and also 9 throughout the Examination trip of New Zealand, trapped LBW in both innings in Christchurch.When examined about what duty he will play in the Test side this summertime, Johnson appeared a lot less passionate about the possibility of opening the batting." I'm comfortable hitting any place," Smith told Fox Cricket in August." Our company'll observe what that seems like, I intend, whether they prefer me to proceed (opening) or even return to three or even 4. Our experts'll wait and also find." I am actually quite effortless hitting anywhere. We'll just find what stacks up and also what the mind depend on wishes." Johnson boasts an exceptional file at No. 4 in Examinations, collecting 5966 perform at 61.50 with 19 centuries it is actually why opening companion Usman Khawaja would certainly like to view his past leader come back to 2nd drop his summertime." Opening is a really necessary area ... (however) I still presume our team have the best Exam player of my period in the side, in Steve Johnson, and his greatest place has actually been actually variety 4," Khawaja informed Fox Cricket last month." I believe that that's his absolute best location." Steve Smith of Australia. Photo through Pat Hoelscher/ AFPSource: AFPFormer Australian depictive Simon Katich, who properly transitioned from a middle-order concoction to an Examination opener, thinks Smith ought to have one more odds at the top of the order." It's still very early in Smith's opening career," Katich told the Cricket Et alia podcast final month." He's simply done it in New Zealand as well as a couple of Examinations against the West Indies. It can take time to adjust. Like any type of problem, when you perform it regularly and also you acquire utilized to it, you formulate a game plan as to how you are actually heading to deal with it and also I presume he is actually perhaps still working through that." I would certainly back him to be able to beat that problem and I assume he's experienced good enough and sufficient to problem deal with as all of us recognize." MARNUS LABUSCHAGNEThe possibility of Marnus Labuschagne opening up the hitting in Tests thinks much less disconcerting than other options due to the fact that the switch coming from No. 3 to opener isn't as drastic.The Queenslander, that has actually occupied the No. 3 area in the Exam edge for over 5 years, is more than efficient in facing the turning ball, leaving to bat along with Australia but to rack up a work on 8 occasions.He has actually opened up the hitting 15 opportunities at five-star confess an average of 34.86, notching a century for Glamorgan in the County Champion in Might."( Labuschagne) has received the skill set to perform it. For the group also, they'll be thinking about what is actually the appropriate start-up for the edge," past England batter Ian Alarm claimed in 2015." He's been so effective, his varieties are actually extraordinary, surely in Australia too in the function he plays. There's no doubt he could do it." Despite a form downtrend over the past 18 months, Labuschagne has actually been actually Australia's a lot of steady No. 3 Exam batter considering that Ricky Ponting, balancing 51.78 featuring 11 centuries in the beginning drop.However, his altitude will cue yet another rejig between purchase with Smith out of placement in the beginning decline moving Labuschagne to opener addresses a concern while generating pair of brand-new ones.Marnus Labuschagne of Australia. Picture by Kai Schwoerer/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesTRAVIS HEADFollowing his current excellence in the white-ball field, Head has emerged as a prominent candidate to bat along with Khawaja in the Examination arena this summer, observing in the footprints of Warner by opening up in each 3 formats.Shifting the South Australian as much as open up will make it possible for Smith to come back to his recommended No. 4 posture, however nationwide selectors may hesitate to part methods with his counterattacking type in the middle order." Head is at the front line of that line up despite the fact that he doesn't actually intend to be," Updates Corporation press reporter Robert Craddock told SEN Whateley final month. "I do not think he observes himself as an opening bat in Exam cricket." There is a bit of a cushion if he stops working because it had not been his strategy, he never ever offered to go certainly there. Therefore if he falls short, he possesses the biker of mentioning, 'Hey, I was going completely great down the order, incidentally'." He's the impressive favourite for the setting presently." Head has actually opened the batting just before at Test degree, albeit just for three matches during the course of in 2013's Border-Gavaskar Prize campaign in India after Warner experienced a palm personal injury. In the course of a collection where most of Australia's concoctions battled for consistency, he marked 223 go for 55.75 in 5 knocks, while he is actually assumed to return to that setting for next year's Exam scenic tour of Sri Lanka.The left-hander confessed he took pleasure in opening the batting on India's turning decks in 2013 as it permitted him to resolve into his innings versus the quicks." For me, it's no matter where our company align best as a staff," Scalp informed Fox Cricket when asked them about the suggestion of position in Sri Lanka upcoming year." I enjoy where I go to." It appeared to work, being actually a little more vigorous at the top, it seemed like I received on my own right into the video game, which behaved in those conditions, facing fast bowling first." It relies on the group's situation ... whatever combo we toss out, it won't affect how the group operates." Australia's Travis Head. Image through Sanka Vidanagama/ AFPSource: AFPMeanwhile, there have been actually lingering worries concerning Scalp's susceptibility to short-pitched bowling, which can be exposed against the brand-new sphere on Australia's swift decks."( India) will jump the crap out of him," Australian cricket legend Allan Border told Headlines Corp recently." He does not play the short sphere along with some others. He does not duck." Regardless, Khawaja has actually tossed his help backing Head opening up the batting this summer season, stating he was actually the best option in Australia's current beginning XI." I think that Travis Head may be finest matched," Khawaja said to Fox Cricket last month." He's clearly been actually very successful opening the batting in one-day cricket and also, breaking it down, I will probably lean in the direction of him." The self-confidence transmissions over. When you are actually viewing the sphere effectively, racking up considerable amounts of operates as well as very little is going through your head, it is actually a fantastic spot to be." Following the 1st ODI versus England at Trent Link, Head confirmed he knew the developing supposition regarding his function in the Exam edge." Always keep the babble, it creates it interesting," Scalp smirked throughout the post-match press conference." I'm certainly not visiting dive into that. I'll merely allow that participate in out." CAMERON GREENHeading in to the previous Examination summer months, Green was taken into consideration a legitimate option to replace Warner when the pro opener disconnected the boots.There wasn't any sort of space for Environment-friendly in the Examination side's mid purchase complying with Mitchell Meadow bright's amazing Headingley century during the course of the Ashes, yet nationwide selectors were eager to discover an opportunity for the West Australian.And although the tip was actually essentially broken up in favour of Smith's altitude, it could be revisited before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Green, that has actually never opened up at first-class amount, earlier signified that No. 4 was his ideal place in red-ball cricket, with the right-hander thumping a career-best 174 certainly not out against New Zealand at second decrease earlier this year." There is actually no doubt in my thoughts he may (open)," Watson informed ESPNcricinfo previously the year." Australia needs to receive Cameron Veggie into the staff as well as the possibility that you've solved now is for him to open. They'll only must endure his bowling, for certain, like along with my bowling when I levelled the hitting. However he absolutely has acquired the skill-set, the run-scoring capacity as well as the understanding to be capable to make the most of being an opening batter without a doubt. It may take him a game or two merely to become capable to work out specifically what his tactical plan is. However he's absolutely got the game and also the way of thinking to take advantage of it." At the same time, Australia encounters a stressed wait on Environment-friendly's supply for the Border-Gavaskar Prize after the all-rounder suffered a back injury in the UK final month. Hanging the severeness of the accident, he might serve as a specialist batter.Cameron Eco-friendly of Australia. Picture through Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesMITCHELL MARSHLast summer months, Mitchell Meadow bright performed his ideal to dismiss concerns concerning possibly opening up the batting in Exams." Exactly how perform I answer this without making a headline?" Marsh deliberated during the time." For me ... I have actually operated truly difficult to come back in this particular side and for me to expect having a task as an opener simply doesn't make sense to me." I adore going to amount 6 and also in my final 4 Exam suits I've definitely located my means and also I think who I am as an Exam cricketer and I am actually liking it, so I hesitate to alter that." Wetland's sibling and dad successfully opened up the hitting in Examinations, while the West Australian has a good record when experiencing the brand-new ball in one-day cricket.However, the reigning Allan Perimeter Medallist has actually been Australia's a lot of regular concoction considering that he came back to the Exam edge in 2014, as well as nationwide selectors might hesitate to shift him from No. 6. In a pillar for the Nine papers last summertime, Australian folklore Greg Chappell tagged Wetland a "convincing" choice to replace Warner at the top of the purchase." His explosive hitting type, blended with a capability to manage pace, positions him as the best prospect," Chappell created at the time." Marsh's skills in reaching down the ground as well as executing strong hooks as well as decreases is ideal to counter-attack swift bowling." Former England captain Michael Vaughan additionally floated the concept before last year's Ashes set when Warner was under pressure to maintain his place in the Examination side.Australia's Mitchell Wetland. Image by Dab Hoelscher/ AFPSource: AFPAlthough Marsh has actually never ever batted higher than No. 5 in Sheffield Cover across 95 innings for Western Australia, he participates in quick bowling along with any person in the country." Within this contemporary game, it's really good to have an opening batsman that seems proactive, aims to take the game on," former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin stated on the Willow Talk podcast in 2014."( Wetland) picks up length as fast as anyone in this Australian staff. He's faced a bunch of quick bowling in the West." When there is actually options I do not mind his label and view just how he addresses the best of the order." a person ELSEAustralian coach Andrew McDonald has actually suggested it would be very improbable for a professional opener to be made in coming from outside the XI, repeating that the top six from the New Zealand set would certainly continue to be for the initial Exam versus India." Our experts feel as though that the crew that ended up in New Zealand, need to they get a well-maintained go for it and be well prepared, at that point they would certainly be the best-placed gamers to load that, there is actually certainly about that," McDonald told SEN earlier this month.However, those comments came before Eco-friendly's return accident, which might unlock for a professional opener to glide right into the Exam side.Matthew Renshaw is the incumbent spare batter, having actually toured New Zealand along with the Examination edge previously this year, but the Queenslander may possess slid down the position observing an underwhelming summer season in the Sheffield Shield.Victorian opener Marcus Harris was actually likewise featured in the Test squad in 2013, however likewise fell out of favour as a result of his lacklustre excellent performances, while Nic Maddinson has actually remained in impressive Sheffield Shield form.Cameron Bancroft of Western Australia. Photograph by Will Russell/Getty ImagesSource: Getty ImagesHowever, ought to an expert opener be actually needed for the Perth Test against India, neighborhood hero Cameron Bancroft is actually a leading candidate.The West Australian has resided in brilliant form in the Sheffield Shield over the final 24 months, compiling 1728 go for 54.00 during that time period, featuring 10 hundreds.Bancroft has a riches of knowledge against the brand new reception and will be actually fully equipped to deal with Indian quicks Jasprit Bumrah as well as Mohammad Siraj this summertime." Against a more typical Exam suit strike like India I would rather opt for a standard opener," Perimeter continued." I would certainly get back to Bancroft. I am gratifying efficiency." I'm certainly not heading to claim I pity Bancroft, however you might also certainly not bother having a Sheffield Defense competition if you do not award its leading artists.".