Warner Says Cricket ‘Chapter Closed’ But Open To Playing Champions Trophy For Australia Next Year
Australian batter David Warner, who confirmed his retirement after the recent T20 World Cup, penned an emotional Instagram post bidding farewell to the game. However, he left the door open for a potential return to the Australian side for the 2025 Champions Trophy, saying that he would be available “if selected.”
Warner’s international retirement was a phased announcement over the past year. He hung up his boots from Test cricket in December 2023 after Australia’s three-match series against Pakistan. He then announced his retirement from the 50-over format following Australia’s sixth ODI World Cup victory in India last year. Last month, Warner’s international career appeared to end when the Australian team, known as the Baggy Greens, exited the T20 World Cup at the Super 8 stage.
In January, Australia’s Test and ODI captain, Pat Cummins, shared his thoughts on the possibility of Warner making a one-off return for the upcoming major event. Cummins believes it might be time to give other players a chance in the 50-over format.
“I think it’s probably time to give some others a crack [in ODIs], but knowing that he’s still going to be playing cricket, it might be more of a ‘break glass in case of 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,” he said.
Although Warner has left the door open for a possible return to the ICC Champions Trophy, he has officially confirmed his international retirement. “Chapter closed!! It’s been an unbelievable experience to play at the highest level for such a long period. Australia was my team. The majority of my career was at the international level. It’s been an honour 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,” Warner wrote in his Instagram post.
“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.”
During his playing career, Warner made 112 appearances in Test matches, scoring 8,786 runs at an average of 44.6. In red-ball cricket, he has 26 centuries and 37 fifties.
In the T20I format, the left-handed batter played 110 matches, amassing 3,277 runs at an average of 33.4 and a strike rate of 142.5, including one century and 28 half-centuries.
In ODIs, Warner has accumulated 6,932 runs at an average of 45.3, with 22 centuries and 33 fifties, second only to former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
