David Warner aims to bid farewell to Test cricket in January 2024 at the SCG, his beloved home ground. He hopes to conclude his international career by participating in the New Year’s Test against Pakistan, a significant milestone towards his eventual exit. Read more.
Additionally, Warner aspires to make his final appearance in Australian colours at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
However, Warner’s participation in the Sydney Test is not guaranteed due to his recent struggles in Test matches. The demanding cricket schedule, particularly for players in all game formats, further complicates his path. Therefore, it is plausible that this Ashes series might mark Warner’s final Test away from home.
The upcoming period poses a challenge for Warner, with the potential of playing as many as six Tests in eight weeks. It begins with the World Test Championship final against India, followed closely by the Ashes series. His Test form has been subpar recently, aggravated by an elbow fracture that forced him to miss the latter part of Australia’s Test series in India.
Warner expressed his thoughts before a training session in Beckenham leading up to the WTC final, saying, “I’ve always stated that the [2024 T20] World Cup would be my final appearance. However, I believe I owe it to myself and my family to assess my performance here and continue playing in Australia. If I can perform well and secure my place in the team, I can confidently say I won’t participate in the Test series against West Indies. If I can successfully navigate this period and be available for the Pakistan series, that will be the end of my Test career.”
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Warner celebrated his 100th Test match against South Africa at the MCG last summer, showcasing a remarkable performance with a double-hundred during the Boxing Day Test. In March, Ricky Ponting suggested that the double-hundred provided an ideal opportunity for Warner to bid farewell to red-ball cricket.
Since January 2020, that century has been his sole hundred. The issue has intensified since the beginning of 2022, as he has averaged only 26 in his last 24 innings, with two fifties and a solitary hundred.
“I have always approached every game as if it were my last,” Warner stated. “That’s my style of cricket. I relish being with my teammates, contributing as a ball of energy within the group. I will continue to work diligently to achieve my goals.”
The extent to which Warner progresses will depend on the significant amount of cricket Australia is scheduled to play leading up to that point. Following the English summer, Australia has commitments in South Africa and India for white-ball cricket, followed by the 50-over World Cup. Immediately after the tournament, they will engage in a T20I series against India.
“Looking back a year ago, the schedule appeared quite daunting,” Warner admitted. “Given the proximity of this Test about the series, along with the presence of the World Cup and our subsequent tour of India, leading into the home summer, it will undoubtedly be an exhausting period.
The selectors have rightly emphasized the importance of these upcoming series—the WTC championship, the Ashes, and the World Cup, which is the pinnacle. We need to be fully prepared and perform exceptionally well. As senior players, we are responsible for contributing significantly with both bat and ball. By accomplishing so, we will be better qualified to handle any future challenges.”
If Warner manages to reach his desired Test farewell, he will shift his focus to the T20 World Cup scheduled for the middle of the following year, to be held in the West Indies and the USA. This may involve him seeking franchise deals from February onwards.
