He posted on social media that he would be “open” to next year’s tournament in Pakistan
David Warner, in his latest social media post, hinted at the possibility of playing in next year’s Champions Trophy, despite having announced his retirement from international cricket over the past year.
Warner stepped down from Test cricket in January and also mentioned that the previous year’s ODI World Cup would be his final appearance in the 50-over format. However, he expressed openness to playing in the Champions Trophy if required. Last month, his international career concluded following Australia’s exit from the T20 World Cup.
In his Instagram post, Warner reflected on his career and made a notable reference to the Champions Trophy, set to be held in Pakistan next February and March.
“I will continue to play franchise cricket for a while, and I am also open to playing for [Australia] in the Champions Trophy if selected,” he posted
Despite this, it remains an unlikely scenario as Warner will not be available for any of Australia’s matches leading up to the tournament. Australia is scheduled to tour England in September for ODIs and face Pakistan in November, with Jake Fraser-McGurk, endorsed by Warner as his successor, being a top contender for the opening position.
In January, Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins commented on Warner’s potential one-off return for the Champions Trophy.
“I think it’s probably time to give some others a crack [in ODIs], but knowing that he’s going to still be playing cricket,” Cummins said. “So it might be more of a ‘break glass in an emergency’ option. But, you know, David is going to be scoring runs somewhere in the world. So you never quite know if this is [the end].”
Warner concluded his ODI career with an impressive 6932 runs at an average of 45.30, including 22 centuries, second only to Ricky Ponting.
“Chapter closed!! It’s been an unbelievable experience to play at the highest level for such a long period,” Warner began his Instagram post. “Australia was my team. The majority of my career was at the international level. It’s been an honor to be able to do this. 100+ games in all formats is my highlight.”
“I want to say thanks to everyone out there who has made this possible. My wife and my girls, who sacrificed so much, thank you for all your support. No person will ever know what we’ve been through. For all the cricket fans out there, I truly hope I have entertained you and changed cricket, especially tests, in a way where we scored a bit faster than others. We cannot do what we love without the fans, so thanks.”
In the coming months, Warner will participate in Canada’s GT20 and a T10 tournament in the Cayman Islands. Sydney Thunder remains optimistic about his return for the BBL, despite his commitments with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 and his commentary roles.
