Ricky Ponting, Australia’s legendary captain, feels David Warner blew an opportunity to retire from Test cricket earlier this year at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but believes the opener is likely to return to the format.
Warner’s Test future is in jeopardy after he was forced to return to Australia following the second Test in Delhi due to a concussion and a fractured elbow.
Since 2022, his Test form has been a significant source of worry. David Warner has only scored 607 runs at 26.39 in 14 matches, including a double-century against South Africa on Christmas Day.
Despite this, Ponting feels the opener will return to a squad that earned a spot in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 Final with a nine-wicket win over India in Indore and has an Ashes series coming up shortly.
“I believe they will want to play him in the World Test Championship match. They have some critical decisions to make as the Ashes [in England] approach. Similar to some of the selection challenges they had when they came to India. They’re probably going to have similar things to think about when they get to the UK because David’s record in the UK is not as strong as it is in some other places around the world,” Ponting said on The ICC Review.
“But I do not think David Warner’s career is over; I believe he will be brought back for that one game. If he performs well there, I believe he will begin the Ashes and see where it goes from there “He went on to say.
At 36, David Warner is nearing the end of his career, and Ponting, who has stated in the past that he overestimated his own abilities, may understand more than most what it is like to be in Warner’s shoes right now.
In fact, Ponting feels David Warner’s best chance for a dignified Test retirement has already passed.
“Well, I was on the radio a couple of days ago in Australia, and I believed the optimum moment for Davey to retire, if he was thinking about it at all, would be after the Sydney Test match. He would just played his 100th Test in Melbourne and had definitely scored 200 in the first innings. Of undoubtedly, retiring in front of his home audience is how any player would prefer to end his career “Ponting stated.
“Who knows when that opportunity will arise again for Davey, you know? It is nearly another year away “The former Australian captain went on to say.
Ponting is optimistic that David Warner can recapture his form and give his career enough life to end on his own terms.
“It would be fantastic if he could pull it off. It would be appropriate for him to end in front of his own audience. But he will need to play really well between now and then for it to happen. And I truly hope this is the case. I believe his career deserves to finish the way he wants it to. It is difficult to fathom being dropped or tapped on the shoulder during an international tour and having his career end in that manner. That is why I am hopeful he can find the motivation to hit a lot of home runs between now and next summer. If he does, next summer may be a great opportunity for him “He said.
David Warner will captain the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) (DC). He was chosen the Delhi Capitals’ skipper for the 16th season of the IPL after regular captain Rishabh Pant was forced out due to his horrible automobile incident.
David Warner’s poor form has been making headlines in international cricket for quite some time. While the left-handed batsman scored a double-century against South Africa in December, his performance in the current series against India has been less than stellar, prompting some to speculate that the southpaw may have played his final Test.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes that during the previous series against South Africa in Sydney, the New South Wales batter had the best opportunity to call it quits in the longest format.
In an interview that aired on the ICC Review show on Sunday, Ponting stated that he believed the best moment for Davey to retire, if he was considering it at all, would be following the Sydney Test match here in Australia.
“He would just play his 100th Test in Melbourne, and certainly hit 200 in the first innings. Every athlete would undoubtedly like to retire in front of his or her home supporters.
“Who knows when that opportunity will arise again for Davey. It is nearly another year away.”
Despite this, Ponting claimed that David Warner would not be wearing the Baggy Green for the final time.
“(Australia) have some pretty major decisions to make, building up to the Ashes,” Ponting, who retired from international cricket in 2012, continued.
“I do not think David Warner’s career is over; I believe he will be brought back for that one game. If he does well there, I believe he will begin the Ashes and see where it goes from there.”
