Former Australia captain Allan Border has expressed his bemusement at his country's decision to send David Warner to Africa.
The 26-year-old was suspended until the start of the first Ashes Test against England after a drunken collision with Joe Root in a Birmingham nightclub, before being sent to South Africa with Australia 'A' for practice.
"I get the thinking, send him to South Africa and Zimbabwe to find form and bring him back later in the series, but I strongly disagree with it," Border told Sydney Morning Herald. "It defies belief David Warner is about to leave the Ashes tour for an Australia A tour of Africa.
"He would be far better served facing James Pattinson in the nets. The standard of bowling he will face in Africa and the conditions will be chalk and cheese to the challenges that await him in England."
The Ashes second Test gets underway at Lord's on Thursday, with England currently leading the series 1-0.