"The obvious thing for me was maybe to pull the pin after Sydney" - Ricky Ponting's grim outlook on David Warner's Test future
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting feels David Warner faces a sad end to his Test career, warning that the 'knives are sharpening' given the latter's torrid run in the format. Ponting believes the smart thing for Warner would have been to call it a day in the longest format after his 101st Test against South Africa in Sydney.
The left-hander, who made his Test debut in 2011, will likely struggle to keep his spot for this year's Ashes series in June. Warner was also ruled out of the final two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to injuries. Prior to that, his highest score in the series was just 15 in three innings.
Speaking to RSN Cricket, Ricky Ponting opined that David Warner had the chance to finish his Test career on a high after his 100th Test in which he scored a 200 at the MCG. According to Ponting, the opener is no longer guaranteed a promising end to his career:
"For him to finish the way he deserves to finish, the obvious thing for me was maybe to pull the pin after Sydney. He got 200 in Melbourne, played his 100th Test, played his 101st Test in Sydney, his home ground and maybe finish there.
"The last thing he deserved is to be away on a tour and get in to the middle of a series and get dropped and his career is over. That would be an awful way for him to finish. He’s a driven little man, a pretty stubborn little bugger, so we’ll see how he goes."
Despite the ax lingering over his head, Warner recently revealed that he doesn't intend to retire. The veteran cricketer has declared that he plans to continue playing until 2024.
"The only currency you have as a batsman is runs" - Ricky Ponting
Keeping in mind David Warner's struggles, Ricky Ponting doesn't see the veteran playing Test cricket after the World Test Championship (WTC) final and the Ashes. He added:
"I think I’ve heard him talk before about their cycle. This current cycle will finish after the World Test Championship, which is obviously the week before the first Ashes Test and I would think all going well that they want to get David through until the end of that Test match at least.
"It's up to him though. The only currency you have as a batsman is runs and if you’re not scoring any you leave yourself open."
Warner also has a disappointing record in England, notably averaging only 9.5 in 10 innings in the 2019 Ashes series.