‘Chapter closed’: David Warner confirms international retirement but leaves door open for Champions Trophy return

New Delhi (India), July 9 (ANI): David Warner has confirmed his international retirement but has also left the door open for Australia to compete in the ICC Champions Trophy next year.

Warner announced his international retirement in stages over the past year, quitting the Test format in December 2023 after Australia’s three-match red-ball series against Pakistan concluded.

He announced his retirement from the 50-over format after their record-breaking sixth ODI World Cup in India last year.

His international career came to an end last month after the Baggy Greens were knocked out of the T20 World Cup at the Super 8 stage.

However, Warner has made himself available for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan in February.

“I will continue playing franchise cricket for a while and I am also open to playing for (Australia) in the Champions Trophy if I am selected,” he posted on Instagram.

In January, Australian Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins gave his opinion on the prospect of Warner making a one-off return for the upcoming major event. He believes the time is right to push other players and give them a chance in the 50-over format.

“I think it’s probably time to give others a chance (in ODIs), but knowing he’s still going to play cricket. So it could be more of a ‘break the glass in an emergency’ kind of option. But you know, David’s going to score runs somewhere in the world. So you’re never quite sure if this is (the end),” he said in January.

Although Warner has left the door open for a possible return to the ICC Champions Trophy, he has officially confirmed his international retirement.

“Chapter closed!! It has been an incredible experience to play at the highest level for so long. Australia was my team. I played most of my career at international level. It has been an honour to do this. Over 100 games in all formats is my highlight. I want to thank everyone who made this possible. My wife and my daughters who sacrificed so much, thank you for all your support,” Warner wrote in his Instagram post.

“Nobody will ever know what we’ve been through. For all the cricket fans out there, I really hope I’ve entertained you and changed cricket, especially Tests, in a way where we’ve scored a little bit faster than others. We can’t do what we love without the fans, so thank you,” he added.

During his tenure, Warner played 112 matches in the Test format and scored 8786 runs at an average of 44.6. In red-ball cricket, he also has 26 hundreds and 37 fifties.

In the T20I format, the left-handed batsman played 110 matches and amassed 3277 runs at an average of 33.4 and a strike rate of 142.5. His impressive total includes a single ton and 28 half-centuries

In the ODI format, Warner has amassed 6932 runs at an average of 45.3. In 50-over cricket, he has a whopping 22 hundreds and 33 fifties. His total is only bettered by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.