Warner should consider Test retirement: Simon O’Donnell

Melbourne, Dec 19 (PTI) Former Australian all-rounder Simon O’Donnell feels opening batter David Warner isn’t the Test player he used to be till about two years back and the 36-year-old should consider retirement from the game’s longest format.

Warner was out for duck and scored just three runs in the first Test against South Africa at Brisbane, which the hosts won by six wickets inside two days.

Warner last scored a Test century in January 2020 and prior to the first Test against the Proteas he had scores of 5, 48, 21, 28 in the four innings this summer.

“I think he’d (Warner) be contemplating and possibly should (retire) at the end of the Sydney Test (third game against the Proteas from Jan 4-8, 2023),” O’Donnell was quoted as saying by SEN on Monday.

“We’re not talking about David Warner in the last few innings, we’re talking about David Warner in the last two years, he hasn’t been the same player he was prior to then. That indicates to me that if David found form again, it’s not going to be for long.

“We actually have a sample area over a long period of time where things haven’t been up to standard.”

O’Donnell, who played six Tests and 87 ODIs chiefly as a bowler, said South African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada dismissing Warner quickly in both innings would have dismayed the batting stalwart.

“I just think it’s time that first ball from Rabada in the first innings it’s un-Warner-like,” O’Donnell said.

“He came out in that second dig (innings) you could see he was pumped to the nth degree.

“He was up and about and look, he got a beauty (of a delivery), but again I just don’t think he’s where he wants to be,” added O’Donnell.

The 59-year-old O’Donnell, however, felt Warner still has plenty of white-ball cricket left in him.

“It’s time for him to clearly consider (retirement from Test cricket). He’ll still play white-ball cricket for a period of time in my opinion.”