IND vs AUS 2023: David Warner missed his best chance to retire, says Ricky Ponting

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting feels David Warner missed his best chance to retire from Test cricket. Warner had a sub-par series against India before he was ruled out with an elbow injury. The left-hander returned with scores of 1, 10, and 15 in the three innings he played.

Meanwhile, Warner scored a blistering knock of 200 runs in the pink-ball Test match against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Ponting feels Warner could have called time on his Test career after the completion of the third Test match against Proteas, which took place at his home ground in Sydney.

Warner scored 213 runs in four innings against South Africa and he was awarded the Player of the Series.

Ponting reckons Australian selectors will back Warner for the World Test Championship final and his performance in that game might decide his Ashes fate.

“Look, I was on radio a couple of days ago, back here in Australia, and I thought the absolute best time for Davey to retire if he was thinking about it at all, was after the Sydney Test match here in Australia. He had just played his 100th Test in Melbourne and obviously got 200 in the first innings down there. And to bow out in front of his home crowd is obviously the way that every player would like to finish their careers,” Ponting told The ICC Review.

Ponting highlighted Warner’s record in England isn’t great. The left-hander has been consistently troubled by Stuart Broad from around the wicket angle.

“I think they’ll definitely want to play him in the World Test Championship match. They have got some really big decisions to make, leading into the Ashes [in England] as well. A bit like some of the selection issues they had coming to India. They’re probably going to have similar things to think about when they get to the UK because David’s record in the UK is not as strong as it is in some other places around the world. But I don’t think it’s the end of David Warner, I think they’ll bring him back for that one game. If he does well there, then I think he’ll probably start the Ashes and see from there,” added Ponting.

Meanwhile, David Warner recently said he wants to play in the Ashes and plans to play Test cricket for another year. But with Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris waiting in the wings, it is not going to be easy for Warner to retain his place in the team.