Melbourne , January 14 : Veteran Australian opener David Warner hinted at retirement, saying that 2023 could be his final year in international cricket, though he would like the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup to be hosted in West Indies and USA to be the ending point of what has been a glorious 13-year career so far.
“[This will] most likely be my last year of my international career,” Warner was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. “I have got my sights set on the 2024 [T20] World Cup as well, so finishing in the Americas, that would be nice to top it off with a win over there, pending selection,” added the opener.
Warner has been an exceptional servant to Australian cricket across all formats since 2009.
In 101 Test matches so far, Warner has scored 8,132 runs at an average of 46.20. He has 25 centuries and 34 fifties in the format, with the best individual score of 335*.
Warner has also featured in 141 ODIs for Aussies, in which he has scored 6,007 runs at an average of 45.16. He has 19 centuries and 27 fifties in the format, with the best individual score of 179.
Warner has also had a decorated T20I career as a batter. In 99 matches, he has scored 2,894 runs at an average of 32.88. He has one century and 24 half-centuries in this format, with the best score of 100.
He is also part of the Australian team that captured the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.
He will be seen in action during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, which will start from February 9 onwards.
Australia has named an 18-member squad for the Border-Gavaskar series in India, including 22-year-old Todd Murphy, while awaiting updates on whether Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green would be fit for the series.
Off-spinner Murphy joins Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson as prospective spin partners for Nathan Lyon after a promising start to his First Class career. Murphy and the rest of the spin group were preferred over Adam Zampa.
Uncapped quick Lance Morris, who was part of Australia’s red-ball squad in the home series, retains his spot and has a chance to make his debut in the first Test at Nagpur, as Mitchell Starc, who is currently nursing tendon damage on his left middle finger, won’t join the squad until after the first Test.
Batters Peter Handscomb and Matt Renshaw will support the top six in the touring squad, with Marcus Harris, a member of Australia’s selection for the home summer, missing out.
All-rounder Cameron Green is also racing against time to be fit but could make the opening Test in spite of sustaining a fracture on the right index finger during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa.
The Australia tour of India will kickstart in Nagpur on February 9. There will be a total of 7 matches on the tour — 4 Tests and 3 ODIs. The tour will start with the four-match Test series with the first game starting on February 9 at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Delhi (Arun Jaitley Stadium), Dharamsala (HPCA Stadium) and Ahmedabad (Narendra Modi Stadium) will host the remaining three Tests of the four-match series.
The home series will conclude with a three-match ODI series, with Mumbai, Vizag and Chennai playing hosts. Mumbai will host the first match of the series on March 17 while the second and third will be held on January 19 and 22 in Vizag and Chennai, respectively.
Australia Test squad for the tour of India: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson and David Warner. (ANI)
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