IND vs AUS: David Warner's wife blocks comeback before Border-Gavaskar Trophy

David Warner, who retired from international cricket in July, sparked debate by stating he would be willing to return to play against India if needed. However, David Warner's wife, Candice, has confirmed that he will not be making a comeback in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series this summer.

The New South Wales opener concluded his international career after Australia's exit during the T20 World Cup in 2024. Warner played his final Test match against Pakistan earlier this year in Sydney. Following his retirement, Australia has struggled to find a suitable opening partner for Usman Khawaja.

Steve Smith was promoted to opener in Test cricket; however, Smith is now set to return to his usual No. 4 position after mixed results. As Australia prepares for their upcoming five-match Test series against India at home, Warner has expressed his readiness to rejoin the national cricket team if needed.

He's Very Passionate About Playing For Australia - Candice Warner

However, Candice Warner has dismissed the chance of her husband, David Warner, returning to the Australian cricket team. Speaking on Fox Sports' The Back Page on Tuesday, Candice said that he would eagerly accept if selectors George Bailey or coach Andrew McDonald approached him.

"He's very passionate about playing for Australia and I think if George Bailey, the selector, or Andrew McDonald, the coach, picked up the phone and said 'we need you', he would jump at it. (But) It's definitely not going to happen," Candice told FoxSports.

End Of Discussion - Candice Warner

Candice Warner said that David Warner would have competed in the Sheffield Shield just like any other aspiring player if he was considering a return to Test cricket. She emphasized that his comment wasn’t meant to disrespect other contenders for the opening position.

"I think if he genuinely didn't think he was capable of doing it, he wouldn't have said that but that's not any disrespect to any of the openers or people (in the fray for selection). If he was to have gone down that path to play again, he would have had to have done it just like everyone else -- play Sheffield Shield and everything like that. But it's not happening. End of discussion," she added.

Cricket Australia Recently Lifted Ban On David Warner

Cricket Australia (CA) recently lifted the lifetime leadership ban on the former vice-captain, which had been in place for six years following the ball-tampering scandal during the 2018 Test match in Cape Town against South Africa.

Australia's selectors are assessing candidates for the opening spot, including Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, Nathan Sweeney, and Marcus Harris. 19-year-old Konstas is emerging as the frontrunner for the role. The five-match Test series between India and Australia is set to begin on November 22.

Also read: IND vs AUS: Tim Paine mocks team India for series loss to New Zealand before Border-Gavaskar Trophy