Warne says cannot pinpoint retirement yet

SYDNEY (AFP) –

Former Australian cricketer Shane Warne is interviewed for television in May. He says that he cannot put a date on when he will finally retire, as he prepares to captain a domestic Twenty20 team five years after leaving the international scene.

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne said he could not put a date on when he would finally retire, as he prepares to captain a domestic Twenty20 team five years after leaving the international scene.

The 43-year-old leg-spinner announced his retirement in 2007, only to return as captain and coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for four years, winning the inaugural tournament in 2008.

Warne appeared to bring down the curtain on his stellar, two-decade cricket career at the IPL in May 2011, but went on to join the Australian Twenty20 team Melbourne Stars for the Big Bash League’s inaugural season the same year and has continued playing with them.

“I have to never say ‘never’ because in 2007 I said I’d never play cricket again,” Warne told reporters in Melbourne.

“But 18 months later the IPL came up, so that was something that interested me, to captain/coach and do it the way I always thought it should be done.”

Warne, who remains Australia’s highest ever wicket-taker with 708 Test scalps, said each time he thought he might have played for the last time, another competition came along that sparked his interest.

“I do love cricket, I’m passionate about the game and if I can help Australian cricket in any way, shape or form then I will,” he said.

Warne returned to training on Tuesday ahead of the BBL, which will kick off on December 7 when the Melbourne Stars play the Melbourne Renegades.