After a fractured arm and three disappointing scores, Australian opener David Warner returned home. Amidst criticism for failing to provide a good start in first two Tests, Warner has vowed to keep white-ball cricket till 2024 and hopes that he can feature in this year's Ashes.
Warner landed in Sydney on Thursday (February 23) after a hairline fracture in elbow ruled him out of the remaining two Tests. The 36-year-old registered scores of 1 and 10 in Nagpur Test followed by 15 in the first innings of Delhi Test. He got concussed and was replaced by Matt Renshaw for the second innings.
"I've always said I'm playing to 2024; if the selectors feel that I'm not worthy of my spot (in Tests), then so be it, and I can push on to the white-ball stuff," Warner told reporters at Sydney Airport on February 23.
The southpaw is in no mood to give up on his Test career yet and wants to feature in Ashes despite managing to score just one century since 2020.
"I've got the next 12 months, a lot of cricket's ahead for the team and if I can keep scoring runs and putting my best foot forward for the team and I can help my spot, it'd be great for the team," Warner said.
"It's easy pickings (for critics) when you're 36 going on 37. I've seen it before with the ex-players as well.
"So for me if I'm taking pressure off the rest of the other guys, and no one's worrying about the rest of the team, I'm happy to do that," he added.
Last year, Warner managed to score 571 runs from 20 innings at an average of 30.05 which included a double century on a batting pitch. This year, he has scored just 36 runs and there have been calls to drop him.
On February 22, Australia selector Tony Dodemaide dodged the question over Warner's Test future and whether he will be ignored for Ashes or not. There were calls to drop him during home Test series against South Africa but a double ton silenced the critics.
"We'll address the Ashes planning (at a later time), but we are committed to picking the best fit and available players for Test series, particularly something as big as the Ashes," Dodemaide had said.
After recovering from the fracture, Warner will return to India for the three-ODI series which is scheduled to start on March 17 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Unlike his Test record, Warner has a good ODI record in India. From eight games he has scored 391 runs at an average of 55.85 including two centuries and one half-century.
