David Warner has decided to skip the T20 series happening after the World Cup. The 5 match T20 series betweern India and Australia will take just 4 days after the ODI World Cup 2023. This decision was expected as the Australian 37-year-old opener has played a long cricket summer.
In a surprising announcement, Australian swashbuckling batsman David Warner has confirmed that he will not accept a Cricket Australia contract for the upcoming year. This decision follows his earlier declaration of retiring from Test cricket after the New Year’s match against Pakistan at the SCG in January.
Warner, 37, is yet to finalize his playing plans beyond the upcoming five-match T20 series in India starting on November 23 and the subsequent NRMA Insurance Test series against Pakistan from December 14. Despite having a contract with the Dubai Capitals in the International League T20, overlapping with the latter stages of BBL|13, he intends to only join the UAE tournament after completing his commitments with the Thunder.
The cricketer’s only definitive commitment beyond his final Test appearance is his brother’s wedding in early January. Despite earlier speculation that Warner might abandon all international duties to play for T20 franchises worldwide, he reiterated his intention to continue playing for Australia up until the next ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean next year.
However, Warner emphasized that he won’t accept a central contract offer from Cricket Australia, even if he meets the qualifying threshold of three Tests or five ODI/T20 appearances. He cited the contractual restrictions and low financial rewards as drawbacks, stating that such a contract would impede his participation in global franchise competitions that align better with his schedule.
Warner expressed concern that being bound by a central contract would limit his freedom to pursue lucrative sponsorship opportunities as a freelance cricketer. He explained, “I don’t want to be signed to that agreement, and that’s something I have to think about moving forward.”
Financial considerations and playing commitments are expected to take a back seat to family priorities for Warner. With his daughters now participating in organized sports and his wife, Candice, having shouldered parenting responsibilities for much of the past decade, family has become a priority for the veteran cricketer.
Although Warner acknowledges the importance of Test cricket in Australia, he believes that his decision to retire from the format will grant him the freedom to balance family commitments with his professional cricketing career. As he plans his exit from Test cricket after the match in Sydney, Warner remains focused on participating in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in June next year, with decisions about white-ball cricket to follow.
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