Australia opener David Warner has hinted he will quit test cricket after next year’s Ashes series in England but plans to continue playing white-ball cricket at least until the 2024 Twenty20 World Cup.
Defending champions Australia could not make the last four in the home T20 World Cup, which England won on Sunday, and it was a particularly subdued tournament for left-handed Warner.
“Test cricket will probably be the first one to fall off,” Warner said on Triple M’s Deadset Legends show.
“Because that’s how it will pan out. The T20 World Cup is in 2024, (one-day) World Cup next year.
“Potentially it could be my last 12 months in Test cricket.
“But I love the white-ball game; it’s amazing.”
Australia’s busy 2023 schedule involves a Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India and Ashes in England, before the ODI World Cup in India later in the year.West Indies and the United States co-host the 20-overs World Cup in 2024.
Australia’s first real changing of the guard since the 2015 Ashes is looming, with several players considered likely to retire in the next 18 months.
Warner and Usman Khawaja will be 36 at the end of next year’s Ashes, Nathan Lyon 35, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood 32.
Steve Smith will also be 33, but would be tipped to continue far longer.
Warner endured a horrid run in the home T20 World Cup with three single digit scores followed by 25 against Afghanistan though he remains a sought-after name in franchise cricket.
“T20 cricket - I love the game. I will be looking to get to 2024,” the left-handed batter said.
“For all those people saying I am past it and a lot of those old people are past it, look out. Be careful what you wish for.”
Australia will engage with West Indies in a two-Test home series beginning on Nov. 30, before hosting South Africa for three Tests and an equal number of one-day internationals.
Warner is expecting a hearing with cricket’s integrity unit later this month on his leadership ban imposed by Cricket Australia since 2018.
“It’s about my knowledge of the game and passing it down to younger kids (as a captain),” Warner said.
“When I am playing in the Big Bash (for Sydney Thunder) ... That can help someone like Jason Sangha. And other guys around me.
“If they’re willing to learn and I get the opportunity to actually captain again, I think it would be great for them.”