Why David Warner's lack of self awareness is not the least bit surprising

Once we moved into the soap opera phase of the great Australian opening debate we were bound to jump the shark.

At once surprising and not the least bit surprising, Dave Warner thinks he’s the answer.

He’s ready to leap out of retirement, into the next Shield game and back into what he sees as his position at the top of the order.

Warner not only said it to Ben Horne… he’s been texting the chief selector and the coach. The lack of awareness is breathtaking.

Australia indulged Warner too long, ignoring the urgent need for succession.

And now that the successor is proving difficult to identify Warner thinks he’s the solution. Could you imagine?

Do you think we could find the one person this morning who thinks this is a good idea?

Sam Konstas batted for two and half hours at the MCG yesterday. It took a lot of concentration and commitment to survive 97 balls with wickets falling around him on what has been a testing pitch.

So, what are we looking for in a 19-year-old to decide whether to thrust him into the furnace of Test cricket?

Technique, temperament and the capacity to get on top of an attack. Konstas played and missed a bit… he edged near the cordon and should have been caught for 23.

He played a lovely square drive and whipped a ball through point. His dismissal was awful… jumping down the track and swiping across the line… skying a ball to point.

It was the innings of a teenager finding his way and refining his craft. This is where Warner was particularly insightful with Ben Horne.

I think Will Pucovski was a much more complete cricketer than where Konstas is now and was a bit more of a stroke maker. But Konstas can definitely in time be that. So what’s the timeframe?

Will that be in the games for Australia A or is he a longer term project than that?

The verdict of the MCG was to give him more time to develop his game.

I do rather like the sentiment – Let them fight for it and earn the right.

We don’t need an answer today and that’s alright because there’s not an answer right now. Let them fight for it and earn the right.

The runs that aren’t being made are occupying so many of our minds.

Where Australia is oversupplied is in the wicket keeping department. Both Alex Carey and his successor Josh Inglis making centuries. Don’t snooze on Josh Inglis.

It’s a riveting start to the Shield season and that in its own right seems a blessing.