Australia coach Andrew McDonald has laughed off the suggestions of David Warner wanting to make a return to the Test team for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India starting in November. Warner has expressed his willingness to play in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India if selected for the senior Australian men’s team. Warner is also prepared to participate in the Sheffield Shield, Australia’s top domestic red-ball competition, to be ready as an opening option for the much-anticipated five-Test series.
Warner’s availability comes as Australian selectors and team management seek a reliable partner for Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. This need follows selection committee head George Bailey’s recent confirmation that Steve Smith would revert to his usual No. 4 spot, leaving an opener’s position open. However, McDonald would brush off the suggestions. The Australia coach, while talking to ABC TV’s Offsiders, said that Warner was retired and they didn’t hold any conversations with the former opener about a comeback.
“His comments, a lot of people ran with,” McDonald said.
“David’s retired and he had a magnificent send-off last year â€æ we had no conversations about David coming back.”
The comments from McDonald come after captain Pat Cummins had also laughed off suggestions from Warner about a comeback.
McDonald commented on Smith’s decision to move to No.4 and felt that the star batter wasn’t ‘sensitive’ about the call after the Tests in New Zealand. The Aussie coach said that the best thing for the team was to keep Smith away from the opening position.
“On the back of New Zealand, we checked in around that opening position,” the coach said.
“We believe that this challenge, moving forward against India, the best thing for the team is to move Steve away from that opening position.”
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will start from November 22 and end with the final Test in Sydney, which will begin on January 3.
