SA vs AUS: Australian Selectors Have Been Ruthless - Matthew Hayden On David Warner’s Retirement Plans

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has spoken about David Warner’s retirement plans. Matthew Hayden believes that Australian selectors will not care about David Warner’s plans and can find a better replacement if there is a need.

David Warner recently mentioned that he plans to retire from Tests next year after the Test series against Pakistan. Warner has also been vocal about his international retirement, which he plans to do after ICC T20 World Cup 2024. David Warner is a permanent opener for Australia in all three formats.

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Australian Selectors Would Not Sit And Wait For David Warner’s Retirement- Matthew Hayden

While speaking during an event in Mumbai, Matthew Hayden shared his views on David Warner’s retirement plans. Hayden said that Warner has shared his retirement plans but it is not what Australian selectors think.

“Knowing Australian selectors and the Australian sporting culture, the selectors wouldn’t sit around the table and say, ‘oh, what does David Warner want in terms of his own playing career?’ They would look at it in terms of is he performing and what is our plan as a nation around how it is we project this series, into the next series,” Hayden said.

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Hayden also said that currently, Australian selectors do not have a strong player to replace David Warner as opener. However, the situation will not be the same in the future.

“So we’re always having to look at our first-class set-up, and the names that have always been coming around have been [Marcus] Harris, [Matt] Renshaw – these names which are more than capable of producing good Test-match cricket.

But are they as good as Davey Warner? And the answer is, in their [selectors’] eyes, no. But sooner rather than later, their answer is going to have to be, ‘what is our next step?’, Hayden further said.

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Australia Selectors Have Been Ruthless In The Past: Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden also added that Australian selectors have always been ruthless around turning over players. He recalled the example of how he was picked by selectors to replace Mark Waugh in the team; when the latter could have played 50-60 more games for Australia.

“Now David’s saying what’s on his terms in Sydney, but I don’t think that’s necessarily what the Australian selectors will be thinking. Australia have always been ruthless around turning over players. In my time, Mark Waugh – who could have played another 50-60 games – gave way to a young Hayden,” Matthew Hayden concluded.

Meanwhile, David Warner will be part of Australia in the forthcoming ODI series against South Africa. During the South Africa tour, Australia will play 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is. Warner is part of the ODI series but is absent from the T20I series. Warner is also part of Australia’s squad for the ICC World Cup 2023.