Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has implored national selectors to pick a specialist opener to partner Usman Khawaja for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, rubbishing calls for West Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis to fill the vacancy this summer.

After cracking consecutive hundreds in the Sheffield Shield, Inglis emerged as a candidate to replace the injured Cameron Green in Australia’s Test starting XI this summer, with New South Wales coach Greg Shipperd describing him as a “right-handed version of David Warner”.

However, Clarke cautioned against making a middle-order batter to face the new ball against India, arguing the first two rounds of the Sheffield Shield shouldn’t dictate who gets selected.

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“We made a mistake in getting Steve Smith to open the batting in Test cricket, so let’s not make the same mistake. Let’s pick a specialist opener, whoever is best equipped,” Clarke told Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast on Thursday.

“How can you justify Josh Inglis is a better person to open the batting in a Test match against this Indian attack than a specialist opener? He scored Shield runs, yes, but he bats in the middle order.

“It’s not just about who’s making runs right here, right now. That is not how you select an Australian cricket team.

“The problem they have at the moment is the top three contenders who are specialist opening batters are not making runs in Shield cricket. Whoopee whoop. Who gives a s***? It’s been two Shield rounds on wickets that are seaming, like who cares?

“It can’t just be about making runs in the two Shield games.”

When quizzed on who he’d pick for the first Test in Perth, Clarke threw his support behind West Australian opener Cameron Bancroft, who has been the most consistent Sheffield Shield batter over the past 24 months. However, the 31-year-old has started his 2024/25 season with scores of 0, 0, 8 and 2.

“I would probably go with Cameron Bancroft because he’s been the leading run scorer for the last two years in Shield Cricket,” Clarke continued.

“I care about Shield cricket. I think he’s earned the right to be selected based on runs.”

Bancroft, along with fellow opening contenders Sam Konstas and Marcus Harris, will look to push their case in the upcoming Australia A series against India, which commences next week.