Bancroft will turn it around: David Warner

Australia vice-captain David Warner says out-of-form opening partner Cameron Bancroft will soon find form at Test level.

Cameron Bancroft knows he produced a "soft dismissal" in Durban, but the out-of-form batsman will turn things around according to opening partner David Warner.

Bancroft started his maiden Test tour in unconvincing fashion, shuffling across his stumps and edging a delivery he could have left to be out for five.

It extended a lean trot that spanned the duration of the Ashes, with the exception of an impressive 82 not out on debut at the Gabba.

The 25-year-old has failed to reach 30 in his past seven Test digs for Australia, managing a total of 97 runs at 13.85.

Selectors have placed immense faith in Bancroft, failing to include another opener in the touring party, so it is unlikely he will be axed for the second Test against South Africa.

"He's so focused on his preparation, you can't fault that, it's just not happening out there at the moment," Warner said.

"It will happen, you just need a bit of luck in this game.

"You always try and think outside the box and have a positive mindset. It so happened to be that he nicked one. He knows it was a soft dismissal.

"We spoke about it before at length. He'll do the same thing in the second innings and hopefully not hit it next time."

With Peter Handscomb being the reserve batsman in the touring party, Shaun Marsh or Usman Khawaja would need to open if Bancroft was dropped.

Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns, who was in the stands for Bancroft's underwhelming dismissal at Kingsmead, would be hesitant to force such a major rejigging of the order.

Equally, Hohns' patience will have its limit.

Warner urged Bancroft to return to the state of mind he had during the early stages of the Sheffield Shield season.

"We had a good conversation today, we sat upstairs for quite a while and I spoke to him about the way he approaches it," Warner said.

"Do you feel like sometimes you have to go after the ball or is it nervous energy? He was quite insightful.

"You look back at the Shield (runs) he scored against (NSW's Test attack).

"I always talk to him about going back to that and thinking about 'how did you go so well' and 'how can you replicate that on the big stage'."


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Source: AAP



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