Despite requests from certain former players that the batsman reconsider his position, Australian batting mainstay David Warner has no plans to stop playing Test cricket, according to his representation.
In Brisbane’s maiden Test match against South Africa, which the home team won by six wickets in under two days, Warner was out for a duck in one innings while only scoring three runs in the other. Prior to the first Test against the Proteas, the 36-yer-old had scores of 5, 48, 21, and 28 in the four innings this summer. He last struck a Test century in January 2020.
Warner’s agent, James Erskine, asserted that he does not anticipate his client retiring from Test cricket after the Proteas’ three-match series in Sydney. Instead, Warner has the tour of India and the 2023 Ashes in England in mind, Erskine said.
When he participates in the Boxing Day Test, Warner will become the 14th Australian to reach the milestone of 100 Tests. Although his average in 10 Tests this year has been less than 21, Erskine believes runs are just around the corner for him.
“No, it won’t be his last Test, I don’t think. It’s news to me if that’s the case. I personally think there’s runs around the corner for him. We’ll just see what happens. The big thing from Davey’s (Warner) point of view is that he has three young children.
If your basic situation is you have got to be away for nine months, or eight months of the year, it is brutal. That will be the decision, I think, depending on how he ends up. He has lots of other interests other than cricket – but there has been no talk about retirement,”
Erskine stated.
The Aussie opener’s manager additionally felt Warner was unlucky to receive a few absolute pearlers from Kagiso Rabada which led to his undoing. He also urged those in criticism to consider Warner’s career as a whole and backed the southpaw to make a roaring return to form sometime in the near future.
“He has had a couple of brutal balls from Rabada. At the end of the day, everyone goes through these quiet spells. You have got to take his career across the board,”
Erskine added.
It is not at all surprising that Warner’s performance in the current series against the Proteas has been the subject of considerable criticism given his recent struggles in Test cricket. The player has also been having a difficult time because the decision to keep him out of leadership roles has stood even though Steve Smith was named vice-captain of the Australian Test match side and even led the team in the final Test against the West Indies.
After what he labelled a “witchhunt,” Warner abandoned his appeal against the captaincy ban. Smith sided with Warner and referred to a lifelong captain’s ban as “fundamentally wrong.” The tumultous journey in recent times could also be a reason behind the Australian great’s struggles with the bat.
