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Former Australian captain Mark Taylor claims David Warner<\/a> should be given two Ashes Tests to secure his spot in England, while urging selectors to make Cameron Bancroft or Matt Renshaw the next opener in line.<\/p>\n Selectors are expected to name a squad for the World Test Championship final against India and the Ashes this week, with the focus firmly on the top of the order. Warner, 36, is expected to be named in that squad and also be picked for the WTC final at The Oval on June 7 before the five-Test Ashes series begins on June 16.<\/p>\n The heat remains firmly on the veteran opener to produce runs early in England. Warner\u2019s double-century against South Africa at the MCG last December is his sole triple-figure score in 32 innings, while he averaged just 9.5 on the last tour of England, the lowest average for an opening batsman in the 146-year history of the Ashes.<\/p>\n But despite what Warner himself described as a \u201chorrendous\u201d Ashes series in 2019, Taylor believes the embattled 103-Test opener should play in the first two Tests against England if selectors pick him to face India.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I am reading the tea leaves right, it sounds like they will stick with David for the World Test Championship at The Oval,\u201d the former Test skipper told AAP. \u201cAnd if that\u2019s the way Australia are thinking about the World Test Championship, then yes, they have to start with him for the Ashes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be very hard to have Usman Khawaja and Warner open the batting and then change a week later for the first Test at Edgbaston,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cWhoever they think is our best opening combination for the World Test Championship, should do the first three Tests of the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n Selectors have previously indicated they will break the English summer into two blocks of three Tests, with the squad to be re-evaluated after the second Ashes Test at Lords.<\/p>\n Taylor is adamant selectors should opt for Bancroft or Renshaw as the back-up opener ahead of Marcus Harris. The other contender is Travis Head who belted 223 crucial runs at an average over 55 filling in as opening batter when Warner suffered an elbow injury on the recent tour of India.<\/p>\n Chief selector George Bailey has indicated that Harris is seen as a preferred back-up option outside of the sub-continent, with Renshaw\u2019s recent Test failures on spinning wickets. Bancroft has not played a Test match since the 2019 Ashes, but was the leading run-scorer in this summer\u2019s Sheffield Shield with 945 at an average of 59.06.<\/p>\n Taylor said he was surprised by the selectors\u2019 call earlier this month to award Harris, who has not played a Test for 15 months, a national contract ahead of Renshaw and Bancroft.<\/p>\n