David Warner has made a sensational U-turn over his retirement from Test cricket in January announcing that he is ‘available’ for selection for Australia’s upcoming series Against India.
In a rather bizarre interview, Warner told News Corp that he was ‘dead serious’ about the claim, with the 37-year-old also stepping back from Australia’s ODI team despite continuing to play for Australia at this year’s T20 World Cup.
Warner even admitted that he had been in contact with Australia men’s coach Andrew Mcdonald and selector George Bailey over the move.
It comes amid a storm of speculation over who Australia will walk out at the top of the order for Australia this summer against India.
Cameron Green is expected to be sidelined for around six months having sustained a stress fracture in his lower back and will now undergo surgery on the problem. Steve Smith, meanwhile, is set to drop back down to No 4, after his brief spell at the top of the order.
Questions have been mounting over whether 19-year-old prodigy Sam Konstas could be picked to start at the top after he hit two centuries for New South Wales in his opening Sheffield Shield match.
Other stars Cameron Bancroft and Matthew Renshaw have both failed to make it into triple figures in their opening five Shield games this summer.
But Warner has made it clear that he is up for making a stunning return.
‘I’m always available, just got to pick up the phone,’ he told News Corp on Tuesday.
‘I’m always dead serious. Let’s be honest, the guys have played one red ball game (first round of the shield) since their last Test matches in February, so I’ve almost had the same preparation.’
Marcus Harris, meanwhile, has started the summer in good form and is likely to be included as one of the first-order batsmen this summer, hitting 143 in his first innings against Tasmania two weeks ago.
‘Honestly, if they really needed myself for this series, I’m more than happy to play the next Shield game and go out there and play,’ Warner, who hasn’t played in the Shield this summer added.
Former Australia Test batsman David Warner has made himself available for selection ahead of this summer’s series against India
Warner said he had retired for the correct reason but would step back into the international fold if his country needed him
‘I did retire for the right reasons to finish the game, and I wanted to finish. (But) my hand is up if they desperately need someone. I’m not going to shy away from that.’
Warner has recently been playing for the Trailblazers in the MAX60 Carribean series, but was candid about his approach to the Aussie coach and selector McDonald and Bailey.
‘I’ve cheekily messaged both. I’ve spoken to Torch (McDonald) and his answer back to me was; ‘you retired,’ he said.
‘I don’t think he wants to give me the pleasure of him saying; ‘can you come back?’
But despite Australia’s selection woes, some have been left bewildered by Warner’s claims online, with some stating: ‘No thanks.’
‘Blokes the reason we already don’t have an opener after staying on too long,’ another said.
Fans reacted to Warner’s statement on X (formerly Twitter) with some agreeing that he needed to return while others told him not to come back
‘Ain’t nobody calling you bro,’ one added, while another said: ‘Think we’re good champ, in fact if we didn’t indulge your farewell tour we may have got some time into our next opener.’
‘He had a 2 year farewell tour – no need for a 3rd summer of it,’ another said.
One though disagreed claiming: ‘100 per cent [Warner] needs to return since others failed to step up. Thye fail under Shield pressure, no chance they’ll handle the international pressure.’
Warner also addressed Australia’s woes at the top order, claiming: ‘My take on it is I liked what they were thinking last year with the fact Greeny is in their best top six (so make the positions work around that).
‘It doesn’t necessarily have to be an opener. I think you can have someone else that can come in and bat three and Marnus (Labuschagne) could open.
‘Is Nathan McSweeney (37 and 72 for South Australia) a good enough player to come in and bat 3?’
He also gave his verdict on Konstas, following his exciting start to the season.
‘Konstas can definitely in time be that long-term opening batsman … and look there is every opportunity for him there to potentially do that, but I think you still have to see a little bit more.
‘I think Will Pucovski was a much more complete cricketer than where Konstas is now and was a bit more of a stroke maker is now. But Konstas can definitely in time be that.’
