On Monday, Australia opener David Warner said he had decided to call time on his one-day international and test match careers to spend more time with his family.
The 37-year-old, a key member of the Australia team that won the 50-overs 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 said at the World Cup that I wanted to get through that … but I’ve decided to also announce my retirement from that format,” Warner told reporters at the SCG.
“It’ll help the one-day team move along a bit … but if they need me, they know where I am,” said an emotional Warner, with his wife and children also present.
Warner scored 22 centuries and 6,932 runs at an average of 45.30 over 161 one-day internationals after his debut in January 2009, winning two World Cups in the format.
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.
David 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.”
