David Warner Eager To Play But George Bailey Shuts Door For Southpaw's Return In Champions Trophy 2025

Australia's chief selector George Bailey feels David Warner has had a wonderful career but as far as the current Australian team is concerned, it is time for the team to go through a transition.

David Warner had officially retired from all forms of cricket post the conclusion of T20 World Cup 2024 but had made himself available for selection for ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Source : PTI

David Warner, one of Australia’s most prominent cricketers of all time, played his last international match in the revently-concluded T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the Caribbean. Interestingly, despite announcing retirement from international cricket, David Warner left a door open for his comeback in Australian colours in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, slated to take place in Pakistan.

However, Australian national team selectors has shut that door for one of Australia’s leading run scorer in all the formats of the hame, expressing that Warner will not be part of the plan for the next ICC event.

In a conversation with ESPNcricinfo, George Bailey expressed that David Warner is certainly not in Australia’s plan for the Champions Trophy.

READ HERE | David Warner's International Career Ends On Bitter Note As Australia Fail to Secure Semis Berth In T20 World Cup 2024

David Warner Won’t Be There In Pakistan: George Bailey

He goes on to add that David Warner has had a wonderful career for Australia but as far as the current Australian team is concerned, it is time for the team to go through a transition.

"Our understanding is that David is retired, and [he] should be commended on what has been an incredible career across all three formats. Certainly, our planning is that he won't be there in Pakistan," Bailey said while talking to the aforementioned sports news website.

"You never know when Bull's joking. And if he is missing us already, that’s a great sign. I think he's just stirring the pot a bit. He's had a wonderful career, can't celebrate it enough, and think as time goes by, his legacy of what he has done for Australia, and we reflect on that, the legend of a player is only going to continue to grow. But as far as this team goes and the journey to transition to some different players, in his case across all three formats, it's going to be exciting,” Bailey added.

Australia also announced squads for three T20Is against Scotland and three T20I and five ODIs against England that they will play in the month of September. Both the squads will be led by Mitchell Marsh as Pat Cummins has been rested from Australia’s tour to the UK. Additionally, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell will sit out the T20 leg of the tour.