David Warner and Ricky Ponting
David Warner and Ricky Ponting. Image Credits: Twitter

Australia won the third test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 at Indore by nine wickets. The home side now has a lead of 2-1 against the visitors. At the same time, the Aussies have qualified for the World Test Championship (WTC) final after avoiding a clean sweep in the four-match series.

David Warner left the India tour after getting injured in the second match of BGT, he was replaced by Travis Head at the Indore test match. Former Australian skipper, Ricky Ponting thinks that Warner must have retired after his double ton at MCG against South Africa in December 2022.

David Warner. WTC.
David Warner in BGT 2023. Image Credits: Twitter

Former Aussies captain thinks Warner missed the opportunity to retire on a high-

“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,” said Ponting.

Warner’s double ton was the first double-century by an Australian batter in a Boxing Day Test since Ricky Ponting’s 257 against India in 2004, the left-handed batter was awarded player of the match for his match-winning knock before this innings, he was on 3 years drought without a 100 in test matches.

“He’d 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,”
“Who knows now that opportunity might not come around again for Davey, you know. That’s nearly another 12 months away,” he further added.
Warner managed to score only  26 runs in three outings in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. With age not on his side, it is likely that selectors will look beyond him in test cricket.
“I think they’ll definitely want to play him in the World Test Championship match,” he said. “They have got some really big decisions to make, leading into the Ashes 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,”  said the former Australian skipper.
The last time Australia went to England for the Ashes in 2019, the southpaw batter had a disastrous outing. He averaged just 9.5 runs across the five Tests with three ducks as the veteran pacer, Stuart Broad dismissed him seven times in the series. while at the moment, the visitors in BGT 2023, won the third game in style by chasing 76 runs on Day 2, the Baggy Greens opener Travis scored crucial 49 runs in the second innings.
Now in the last clash, Men in Blue has to win the final test match of BGT 2023 to qualify for the WTC Final in England. Rohit Sharma-led side will take on Australia for the fourth test of BGT at Ahmedabad on 9th March.