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The star Australian opener David Warner is having a tough time with the bat and is struggling to score runs in the Test format. Warner is currently part of Australia’s squad for the Ashes 2023 and has managed to amass just 225 runs across nine innings of the ongoing series so far.
Warner’s sleek form recently evoked a huge debate surrounding his future in Test cricket. There were also many rumours regarding the 36-year-old batter planning not to stretch his red-ball career and calling his time on the longest format of the game after the conclusion of the Ashes 2023 series.
Although Warner went on to rubbish the retirement claims later and expressed his desire to hang his boots from Tests at his home ground in Sydney against Pakistan, legendary Aussie seamer Glenn McGrath doesn’t think he will be able to retain his spot in the team after the ongoing Ashes.
The concerns from McGrath were raised after Warner yet again failed to convert a good start in the fifth Ashes 2023 Test at the Oval and was dismissed for 24 runs off Chris Woakes‘ delivery.
Also READ: David Warner brushes off retirement rumours; names his successor
McGrath fears Warner is nearing his Test career’s end:
Speaking to SENQ Breakfast, McGrath pointed out the pressure on Warner and reckoned that the latter is nearing his Test career’s end. The 53-year-old advised the Aussie batter to go big in Australia’s second innings of the Oval Test to save his position in the team.
“There’s a bit of pressure on Dave Warner. He looked ok (in the first innings at the Oval), but then got out again. To be honest, I think, unfortunately that maybe it’s coming towards the end of his career. I know he came out the other day and said he wanted to play it to the end of next summer. But I think the pressure is on him, the vultures are circling. Unless he comes out in the second dig and produces a big score, I think he might struggle,” said McGrath.
“Unfortunately, he’s got a lot of starts this series and then just gets out. I’m not sure what’s there; the timing is not quite there. He had that big innings back in Australia on Boxing Day where he got the 200, but there hasn’t been a sort of real big score before or after that for quite some time. “He’s probably feeling the pressure, he still talks it up and says he’s going fine and this and that, but he’s got to put the runs on the board unfortunately,” he added.
