Australia coach Andrew McDonald has poked fun at David Warner's endorsement of Marcus Harris as speculation ramps up about who will replace the champion opener.
Warner's Test career will come to an end at the SCG in the new year, as Australia aims for a series whitewash against Pakistan.
During the Boxing Day Test, Warner was asked who should replace him for the West Indies series and put one name forward.
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"It is a tough one – it is obviously up to the selectors," he said.
"From my position, I feel like [it should be] the person who has worked their backside off and has been there for a while in the background.
"Harry's (Harris) been that person who has toured, he scored that 100 the other day and missed out in another couple of games but he's always been the person who's next in line.
"If the selectors show their faith in him, then I'm sure he'll come out and play the way he does. You know, he's not too dissimilar to me."
Ironically during the Ashes, Warner was asked a similar question and said Matt Renshaw would "be a great replacement".
Warner's indecisiveness wasn't lost on McDonald as he and selectors consider who will open in the future out of Cameron Bancroft, Cameron Green, Harris and Renshaw.
"Davey's not a selector and I remember back to England he endorsed Matt Renshaw so the next one will probably be Cam Bancroft and then Cameron Green and he'll have all bases covered," he laughed.
"I mean it's great when a fellow player endorses someone else internally, it means he's probably excluded other players as well but he was asked his opinion and we're happy for him to express that."
With the series result all wrapped up, McDonald did confirm discussions have started on who will be selected against the West Indies but wasn't willing to put any name forward.
"There's a few options, everyone's well aware of the options," McDonald said.
"I'm a person that once you know when you're going to make the decision, you make it at that point in time.
"Until then the discussions will be open, we'll put a deadline on that and that'll be the West Indies selection meeting, we'll start discussing that now though."
The coach added he hasn't had any specific conversations with Shield players in contention.
"(Selectors) George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide get around state cricket, they have a presence there so they'll be the ones connecting there," he said.
"As coaches you tend to leave them alone in that environment playing for Western Australia, Queensland or Victoria, if those are the three players (Bancroft, Harris, Renshaw) you're talking about."
McDonald also shut down any chance of a player being in the squad for the SCG Test to bring them back into the team environment.
"I don't think that'd make the BBL happy," he laughed.
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