NEW DELHI: Australian opener David Warner has not ruled out extending his white-ball cricket career until the next World Cup in 2027, despite having announced his retirement from Test cricket in January.
The 37-year-old, set to play in his third World Cup semi-final against South Africa on Thursday, drew inspiration from players like Brad Hogg, Chris Gayle, and Shoaib Malik, who continued playing limited-overs cricket into their 40s.
Warner, Australia's leading run-scorer at the ongoing World Cup, expressed his goal to play in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean next June and emphasised that decisions about his white-ball cricket future would be made after discussions following the current summer.
"Everyone wants to set themselves a realistic goal ... I'm still feeling fit," Warner stated in Kolkata. He highlighted the need to factor in contracting systems and other considerations before making decisions about his future in white-ball cricket.
Warner, who intends to retire from Test cricket after the upcoming series against Pakistan, mentioned his preference to play as a freelancer and not accept a central Cricket Australia contract next year. He expressed concern about not wanting to take contracts from emerging young talents and the legal obligations tied to accepting deals.
"It's very difficult to say, 'I want to play Twenty20s and one-dayers', but you don't want to be taking contracts from a young kid that's coming through," Warner explained, adding that the contracting system and sponsorship commitments become challenging at this stage of his career.
In June, Warner announced his desire to retire from Test cricket against Pakistan in January, but he has not received confirmation on whether that wish will be granted. "You don't get told anything," Warner stated, emphasising the lack of information until the conclusion of each white-ball series.
Warner's performance in the T20 World Cup next year and subsequent discussions will likely shape his future in white-ball cricket.
(With inputs from Reuters)The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
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