David Warner has suggested he could walk away from Test cricket following next year’s Ashes but indicated a desire to play on in the shorter formats.
Greater uncertainty surrounds Warner and a host of senior teammates following Australia’s failure to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.
Australia’s 2023 schedule is headlined by a tour of India across February and March, on which three Tests and four one-dayers will be played, an Ashes tour of England over June and July, and the next 50-over World Cup, set to be played in India across October and November.
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The next T20 World Cup is scheduled for the Caribbean and United States over June and July 2024, by which point Warner will almost be 38.
“Test cricket will probably be the first one to fall off,” Warner said on Triple M’s Deadset Legends.
“Because that’s how it will pan out. The T20 World Cup is in 2024, (one-day) World Cup next year. Potentially it could be my last 12 months in Test cricket. But I love the white-ball game; it’s amazing.”
Warner is expected to play his 100th Test as Australia meets South Africa in this summer’s Boxing Day Test.
The dangerous left-hander plundered 289 runs at the average of 48.16 and strike-rate of 146.70 to be crowned player of the tournament at the 2021 T20 World Cup, but he averaged only 11 in this year’s T20 World Cup.
Warner takes classy outfield catch
Regardless, the former Australian vice-captain isn’t buying what the critics are saying.
“T20 cricket — I love the game. I will be looking to get to 2024,” Warner said.
“For all those people saying I am past it and a lot of those old people are past it, look out. Be careful what you wish for.”
While Cricket Australia hit Warner with a 12-month playing suspension and lifetime leadership ban for his role in the ball-tampering saga, a reworded code of conduct could be set to end his captaincy exile.
The adjusted code is awaiting approval from the Cricket Australia board, with Warner anticipating a meeting with the organisation’s integrity unit this month.
Pat Cummins has the Test and ODI captaincy jobs locked up, but Australia could soon be on the search of a new 20-over leader with Aaron Finch expected to retire.
“It’s about my knowledge of the game and passing it down to younger kids (as a captain),” Warner said.
“When I am playing in the Big Bash (for the Sydney Thunder) … that can help someone like Jason Sangha and other guys around me.
“If they’re willing to learn and I get the opportunity to actually captain again, I think it would be great for them.”
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