Warner announced the Sydney Test against Pakistan would be his last and has also called time on his ODI career after winning the World Cup in India.
Australia opener David Warner has called time on his one-day international (ODI) and Test match careers to spend more time with his family but kept the door open to play the 2025 Champions Trophy if needed.
The 37-year-old, a key member of the Australian team that won the 50-overs ICC Cricket World Cup for the sixth time in India last year, will play his 112th and final Test against Pakistan at his home Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) starting on Wednesday.
“I’ve got to give back to the family and also on the back of that [World Cup] I’m definitely retiring from one-day cricket as well,” he said at a news conference on Monday.
“It’ll help the one-day team move along a bit,” an emotional Warner said, with his wife and children also present.
“I know there’s a Champions Trophy coming up,” he added.
“If I’m playing decent cricket in two years’ time and I’m around and they need someone, I’m going to be available.”
The Champions Trophy has not been played since 2017 but is set to be resurrected in 2025 in Pakistan. Traditionally 50-over cricket, reports have said there has been a push to make it T20.
Warner scored 22 centuries and 6,932 runs at an average of 45.30 over 161 ODIs after his debut in January 2009, winning two World Cups in the format.
David Warner bows out of ODI cricket a two-time World Cup winner and Australia’s sixth-most prolific run scorer pic.twitter.com/LGn44T1UCL
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 1, 2024
Prolific World Cup record
Australia’s victory against India in the November 19 final of the World Cup last year remains Warner’s last ODI outing. He was Australia’s leading scorer in the tournament.
Among his compatriots, only Ricky Ponting (30) has more ODI hundreds than Warner’s 22.
A sought-after name in franchise cricket, the aggressive opener remains available for Australia in the game’s shortest format and is hopeful of playing the T20 World Cup in June.
“It was a decision that I was very, very comfortable with,” he said.
“To win in India, from where we were, was absolutely amazing.
“When we lost two games in a row in India, the bond just got stronger with each other, and it’s not by fluke or by chance that we were able to get to where we were.”
Warner is set to play in the ongoing Big Bash League after the Sydney Test and has sought Cricket Australia’s permission to play in a franchise tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Warner, who also has a contract with the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, highlighted the threat Test cricket faces from franchise cricket.
“Fortunately in my development, I didn’t have that there, so I didn’t have to make that decision of going out and playing in those.”
“Today, with so many different opportunities and a lot of money at stake for younger guys coming through, it’s a tough decision to make.”
Warner has played 111 Tests for Australia, scoring 8,695 runs at an average of 44.58, with 26 centuries and 36 half-centuries.
