‘I’d probably drop one format’: David Warner hints at retirement

Star Australian opener David Warner has flagged retiring from Twenty20 internationals following his emotional Allan Border Medal win.

The 33-year-old capped off a triumphant return to the international set-up by claiming Australian cricket’s highest individual honour on Monday night for the third time.

He also took out the T20I player of the year, finishing ahead of fellow powerhitter Glenn Maxwell.

But after working his way back into the Australian team following the 2018 ball- tampering saga, Warner thinks he may have to make some sacrifices.

Not only to prolong his Test career, but for the sake of wife Candice and their three children.

During his acceptance speech, Warner became emotional when it came time to thanking his family.

“I think you look at Twenty20 internationals, we’ve got back-to-back World Cups as well,” Warner told reporters on Monday night.

Warner won the Allan Border medal and made sure to thank his family and wife for sticking by him.

That’s probably a format that could be one I drop in a few years.It’s going to be very difficult to play all three forms – and good luck to all the guys that want to keep playing – it’s challenging.I speak to guys like AB de Villiers, Virender Sehwag, guys who have done that for a long time, it does become challenging.Having three young kids and my wife at home all the time, the constant travelling becomes very difficult.

Warner burst onto the scene in 2008 as a Twenty20 specialist, with many believing he could never succeed in Test cricket.

After a self-described “horrendous” Ashes, the left-hander hit peak form during the Australian summer by piling on runs against hapless Pakistan.

In November, Warner belted his highest Test score with an unbeaten 335.

“I batted a lot of time in the nets. Three or four days leading into the Brisbane Test, I almost batted for three hours every day,” Warner said.

Warner’s triumph goes with his AB medals from 2016 and 2017, with the three victories putting him in rare company, only one behind four-time winners Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.