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David Warner’s hopes of a farewell Test at the SCG in January appear to hinge on his scores at the start of the summer.
Australian selectors will meet this week to pick a Test squad for the three-Test Pakistan series, which starts on December 14 in Perth. Skipper Pat Cummins said form would be the most important factor when selecting the team.
After winning the ODI World Cup in India, Australia’s best cricketers will be back in action for another busy five-Test summer against Pakistan and the West Indies.
Cummins, speaking next to the World Cup trophy at the SCG on Tuesday, was asked whether Warner, 37, would be in the Australian side travelling to Perth.
“The team is not picked yet. The selectors will pick it after this [Sheffield] Shield round,” Cummins said. “We’ll wait and see.”
Warner finished 11th on the run-scorer’s list for the recent Ashes series in the UK, with 285 runs at 28.5. He has not scored a Test century in his past 16 innings but had a productive ODI World Cup with 535 runs at 48.63.
Pat Cummins with the World Cup trophy. Credit: Getty
Warner has stated he would like to finish his Test career on his home ground against Pakistan in early January.
Asked if Warner deserved a send-off Test, Cummins said, “Yeah, I mean … he’s a great of our game in all formats, so no doubt that’s part of it, but first and foremost you always think of the performance side of things when you are picking a side.
“Any player is a better player when they are going in with confidence. I thought he was brilliant during this World Cup, like he has been in white ball [cricket] for a long time. He wasn’t just playing for himself out there. He took the game on and was brave. I think he’s hitting the ball beautifully.”
Australia coach Andrew McDonald, who is taking a short break after the World Cup, was asked on Tuesday about Warner’s position during a radio interview with SEN.
David Warner celebrates a century against the Netherlands.Credit: AP
“Like any other decision, it’s working out who is the best player for that position at that point in time, and I think with Test cricket, it’s really clear. You don’t necessarily need to future-proof things too much,” he said.
“We see every Test match as important in terms of the direction of Australian cricket. There’s no doubt you will have a younger player from time to time that people will think needs to play or get exposure to play, but I think a lot of that always takes care of itself.
“You never put a deadline on players. I’m a big believer that you don’t know when the end date is and sometimes players, when they get to 36 or 37, start to hit the peak of their powers. There’s no doubt that when the end comes, I think the player knows when it is the end.”
Warner has indicated he believes he’ll face Pakistan in Perth.
“I’d already had this planned well in advance just to get home, be with the girls,” Warner said on a recent podcast with South African cricket legend AB de Villiers. “We’ve got about 20 days to try to relax and unwind and then get into that first Test in Perth. It’s going to be a good couple of weeks to spend with the family.”
Meanwhile, after a gruelling year on the road, Cummins said he and his fellow fast bowlers want to feature in every Test this summer.
“We’re fully fit and we won’t be resting,” Cummins said. “Realistically, the words ‘rested’ and ‘rotated’ get thrown around a lot, but you never miss a Test if you’re fully fit.”
Cummins is at home relaxing with his family before the cricket caravan goes around the country again. The Australian skipper had sympathy for teammates still grinding away in India during a meaningless T20 series who would prefer to be at home and celebrating their World Cup victory.
“They’re humans, not robots,” Cummins said. “Putting everything into a World Cup and playing a couple of days later, I probably don’t begrudge them if they’re not 100 per cent.
“It’s been a busy few months. It’s still games for Australia. I think it’s great these tours provide opportunities for younger guys or those not in the first XI.
“I [am] still on a high [from the World Cup]. I’m still waking up every morning buzzing. A career highlight for sure. It’s been amazing back here in Australia. Walking down the street everyone has been talking about the World Cup. There has been no shortage of positive reception since we got back.”
It was confirmed later on Tuesday that World Cup squad members Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith, Sean Abbott and Josh Inglis would head home early from the India tour, replaced by Josh Philippe, Ben Dwarshuis, Chris Green and Ben McDermott.
However, Travis Head – player of the match in both the World Cup semi and final – is staying for the duration after missing the first two games, both won by India.
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