After Australia’s most recent home Test in Sydney, according to former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, Aussie opener David Warner should have given up the longest version of the game. Given that the southpaw hasn’t performed at his peak with the bat since 2022, there are doubts over his Test future. The veteran has only amassed 607 runs—including his double-century hit against South Africa in the Christmas Day Test—in 14 games at a pitiful average of 26.39.
Warner just returned home after playing in the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Delhi because to an injury. Since then, there have been rumours that he might not be able to join Australia’s Ashes team for their June trip of England. Warner hinted last year that after the Ashes, he would stop playing Test cricket. However, Ricky Ponting stated at the ICC Review that the brash Australian opener will return to the Australian team for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
“They have got some really big decisions to make, leading into the Ashes [in England] as well. A bit like some of the selection issues they had coming 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. “But I don’t think it’s the end of David Warner, I think they’ll bring him back for that one game. If he does well there, then I think he’ll probably start the Ashes and see from there,” he added.
Ponting, who will be Warner’s coach in the Delhi Capitals camp in the upcoming IPL 2023, said that the best time for Warner’s retirement has already passed. “Look, I was on radio a couple of days ago, back here in Australia, and I thought the absolute best time for Davey (Warner) to retire, if he was thinking about it at all, was after the Sydney Test match here in Australia,” said Ponting.
“He’d just played his 100th Test in Melbourne, and obviously got 200 in the first innings down there. And to bow out in front of his home crowd is obviously the way that every player would like to finish their careers. Who knows now that opportunity might not come around again for Davey, you know. That’s nearly another 12 months away,” he added. The former Aussie stalwart is also hopeful of Warner’s comeback to bring down the curtains on his Test career in his own style.
“Look, I’d love it if he could do that. It’d be fitting if he could do that, finish in front of his home crowd. But he’s going to have to play really well between now and then for that to happen. And in my own heart of hearts, I hope that’s the case,” Ponting stated. “I think his career deserves to finish the way he wants it to. Sort of not to be dropped or tapped on the shoulder in the middle of an overseas tour and have his career end in that way. That’s why I just hope he can find it within himself to score a lot of runs between now and next summer. If he does, then next summer might be the ideal opportunity for him,” he concluded.