Warner hopes to end Test career with swansong at SCG next year

Warner managed just 26 runs in three Test innings during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India earlier this year.

Beckenham (UK):Star Australian opener David Warner on Saturday revealed his desire to end his red-ball career with a swansong Test at his home ground at the SCG against Pakistan in January. Talking ahead of Australia's training session here, Warner, who is preparing for next week's World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, said he hopes the Sydney Test against Pakistan would be his last.

However, given his recent struggle in the longest format of the game, the southpaw isn't guaranteed a spot in the Australian Test side and he is well aware of it. "You've got to score runs. I've always said the (2024) T20 World Cup would probably be my final game," Warner said. "I probably owe it to myself and my family - if I can score runs here and continue to play back in Australia - I can definitely say I won't be playing that West Indies series.

"If I can get through this (WTC final and ensuing Ashes campaign) and make the Pakistan series I will definitely finish up then," he added. After the WTC final, Australia are scheduled to play a five-match Ashes series against England. Warner is a part of Australia's squad for the WTC final as well as the first two Ashes Tests. But the selectors have also picked Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw as options.

Warner, who has played 103 Tests, managed just 26 runs in three Test innings during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India earlier this year. He returned home mid way from the series owing to an elbow fracture. "For me I've always played every game as if it's my last," Warner said. "That's my style of cricket. I enjoy being around the guys, I love being part of the team, trying to be that ball of energy in the group. I want to just keep working as hard as I can to get there."

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After wrapping up the Ashes, Australia travel to South Africa for a white ball series before competing at the ODI World Cup in India. At the end of the year, Pat Cummins and his men will take on Pakistan in a three-Test series with the final game slated to be played in Sydney on January 3 post which they host the West Indies for a full series. "Going back 12 months, (the schedule) looked very daunting. Whether or not you're going to play this Test before this series, given there is a World Cup as well, and we have South Africa as well. And then cricket on the back end of the World Cup in India.

"Leading into a home summer it's going to be exhausting and I think the boys, rightfully so, the selectors have been speaking to them about the series that we are priding ourselves on. This (WTC) championship, the Ashes, then the World Cup, the big one."

He reiterated that he wants to play till the World Cup next year. "I want to play that 2024 World Cup, it's something at the backend of my mind. We've got a lot of cricket before that. And then I think it stops from February. For me, then I have to play the IPL, some of the other franchise leagues and then get into the rhythm to play that, in June. Will be a bit of cricket around to play."

Warner, who was struck on the same elbow that he injured earlier this year, said he is doing okay despite the latest blow on Thursday. "It was sore, it got me right on the same point but from a different angle," said Warner. "It went numb and I had to get it strapped, but it's fine now a little bit sore, but lucky it didn't hit me on top," Warner added. (PTI)