Former Australian all-rounder Simon O’Donnell thinks that David Warner is not the Test batter that he used to be in his peak days, which is about two years back, and hence O’Donnell feels that the opening batter should retire from Test cricket.
He says, that given his current form in Test, the 36- year-old should consider retiring from the game’s longest format.
David Warner was out for a duck and then scored just three runs in the first Test against South Africa at Brisbane. Australia won the Test by six wickets in just two days.
The last time Warner scored a Test century was in January 2020. Before the recent first Test match against the Proteas, David Warner he had scores of 5, 48, 21, and 28 in the last four innings that he played this summer.
Simon O’Donnell’s Views On David Warner’s Form
Simon O’Donnell reportedly was quoted saying, “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).”
He further added that he was not talking about David Warner in the last few innings, he was talking about Warner last two years ago. He is not the same player as he was two years ago.
“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,” Simon O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell, who has played six Tests and 87 ODIs majorly as a bowler, said that South African pace bowler Kagiso Rabada getting David Warner out in no time 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,” said O’Donnell. “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,” he added.
After saying that David Warner should retire from Test cricket, O’Donnell expressed his opinion that Warner still has plenty of white-ball cricket to play in his career. 59-year-old O’Donnell was quoted saying, “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”
