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BGT 2024-25: Lisa Sthalekar Criticizes David Warner’s Comeback Plan For India Test Series

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The craze for BGT 2024-25 is quite insane as the two world cricket giants will lock horns in red ball cricket after ICC WTC 2021-23 final. David Warner, the swashbuckling left handed batter has retired from all formats. David Warner though has stated that he can out of retirement to help Australia beat India in BGT 2024-25 which has raised a lot of eye-brows.

David Warner’s unique take on playing for Australia again

“I did retire for the right reasons to finish the game, and I wanted to finish. But my hand is up if they desperately need someone. I’m not going to shy away from that,” Warner said. 

However, this time, his comments did not sit well with former Australia Women’s captain, Lisa Sthalekar. She believes Warner should enjoy his post-retirement life and let the selectors and the captain handle the situation.

Lisa Sthalekar Suggests Nurturing a New Opening Batsman for the Team

Sthalekar holds Warner responsible for the team’s current struggle with finding a new opener. His retirement on his terms did not allow Australia to nurture a strong future opener, forcing Steve Smith to leave his favorite role and open for the side.

“What baffles me is that this guy had his swansong last summer to say farewell and finish on his terms,” Sthalekar wrote in her column for The Nightly. 

She further added, “One could argue that because of that allowance, the team is in this situation as selectors didn’t use those Tests wisely to blood the next opener.”

According to her, the idea of bringing back the 37-year-old should not be entertained by George Bailey, the chief selector for the Australian men’s cricket team, or skipper Pat Cummins. She believes including Warner in the Test squad again will only prolong the issue.

“Therefore, Warner suggesting to answer the mayday call if it was to come, will only kick the issue down the road again. With England coming out next summer, enough is enough.”

David Warner’s Comeback Ambitions: Not His First Time

This is not the first time Warner has expressed his desire to play for Australia post-retirement. 

When he announced his retirement from the final format of the game, T20Is, he wrote in his Instagram post, “I will continue to play franchise cricket for a while, and I am also open to playing for Aus in the Champions trophy if selected.”

However, later, Bailey confirmed that Warner will not be considered for the 2025 Champions Trophy, as the southpaw has already retired.

Warner retired from ODIs right after winning the 2023 ODI World Cup. He played his last Test against Pakistan in January and his final T20I against India in June. The selectors and the team have moved on; it is high time Warner does the same and focuses on enjoying franchise cricket.

Who Will Open for Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

After Warner’s exit, Steve Smith tried opening the batting for the team against the West Indies at home and away in New Zealand. In the two-Test series, he played four innings against each opponent but managed only one fifty.

With no significant returns from Smith during his brief stint as an opener, he will revert to his preferred number four position during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Additionally, Cameron Green will be absent from the series due to back surgery, posing a serious concern for Australia, as India has defeated them twice on their soil during the last two tours.

With names like Cameron Bancroft, Sam Konstas, Marcus Harris, and Josh Inglis in contention, Australia must finalize their second opener alongside Usman Khawaja if they hope to secure the series.

Also Read: BGT 2024-25: “He Was Extremely Competitive, Wonderfully Dynamic” – Matthew Hayden Believes Australia Will Miss David Warner In 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy


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