Daily Times

SYDNEY: Veteran Australia opener David Warner said Friday he plans to still be playing Twenty20 internationals for the 2024 World Cup, but will assess his Test future over the next year. Warner, who will be 36 next week, has been ever-present at the top of the order for more than a decade, bar a one-year ban for ball-tampering in 2018, playing 96 Tests, 138 ODIs and 95 T20s. He told The Sydney Morning Herald he had no plans to call it quits yet, with his immediate focus on Australia’s defence of their T20 world title starting Saturday against New Zealand in Sydney. “I’ll keep playing T20s. I’ll look to try and get to the 2024 World Cup,” he said, referring to the event being co-hosted by the United States and West Indies. “And I’ve got my goal set on playing next year in the 50-over World Cup (in India).

“So for now we’ll see how much Test cricket I’ve got left in me after this summer coming up and winter away. From there that will make up my mind whether I’ll continue to play Test cricket and all three forms.” Warner made his T20 debut in 2009, the same year he first played an ODI, with his Test career beginning two years later, becoming one of cricket’s finest all-format players. He said fitness was key to his longevity, rather than constantly trying to hone his batting skills. “I don’t work too much on my skills these days, I work harder on keeping as fit as I can and keeping as agile as I can. They’re the most important things,” he said. “I think the longevity in the game is an important thing. If you want to play all three forms, you’ve got to remain fit and strong. And I’ve managed to do that.”