Former Australian cricketer Simon O’Donnell is not in favour of opening batter David Warner getting a farewell Test, saying no one should have the right to pick and choose the venue and date of his choice.
Warner, 37, had indicated earlier this year that he would like to finish his Test career at his home ground in Sydney against Pakistan in January next year.
The all-format player will continue playing white-ball cricket but is planning to call it a day in the longest format with the three-Test series against Pakistan beginning on December 14 and concluding with the third Test in Sydney in January.
“I don’t like farewell tours. I didn’t like it back in Steve Waugh’s Day or Mark Taylor’s Day. I think you’re invited to play for Australia, and it’s an honour to do that,” O’Donnell opined on Sen Radio on Friday.
“I don’t think anyone has the right to say, ‘I’ll finish on the 30th of June this year’.” Questioned if it was right to select the left-handed batter for the Test series based on his form during the Ashes rubber earlier this year or his performance in white-ball format, O’Donnell said there should be a discussion on the issue.
“There would be genuine debate about that. Like Cameron Bancroft, I’m not sure how much more he needs to do.” “He just keeps peeling off hundreds, and if it’s not 100, it’s a 60. If he has one bad innings, he then makes another 100 you know, he’s just been in brilliant form the last 18 months,” said O’Donnell, who played six Tests and 87 ODIs for Australia.
