Cricket Australia’s (CA) national chief selector, George Bailey, has confirmed that David Warner will not be considered for the upcoming Champions Trophy in 2025. Warner, who retired from international cricket following the T20 World Cup 2024, had hinted at a possible return for the Champions Trophy next year.
Although Warner recently stated he would be “open to playing for [Australia] in the Champions Trophy if selected,” Bailey has made it clear that Warner will not be part of the global ICC tournament.
“Our understanding is that David is retired, and he should be commended on what has been an incredible career across all three formats. Certainly, our planning is that he won’t be there in Pakistan,” Bailey said.
“You never know when Bull’s joking… I think he’s just stirring the pot a bit. He’s had a wonderful career, we can’t celebrate it enough, and I think as time goes by, his legacy of what he has done for Australia and we reflect back on that, the legend of a player is only going to continue to grow. But as far as this team goes and the journey to transition to some different players, in his case across all three formats, it’s going to be exciting,” he added.
Australia has announced their squads for the limited-overs series against Scotland and England, with Mitchell Marsh leading both the T20I and ODI formats as Pat Cummins has been rested. Jake Fraser-McGurk is included in both squads, aiming to solidify his place at the top of the order following Warner’s retirement.
A few days ago, Warner reflected on his international career and left the door open for the Champions Trophy. “It’s been an unbelievable experience to play at the highest level for such a long period. Australia was my team. The majority of my career was at the international level. It’s been an honor to be able to do this,” Warner shared in a post on Instagram.
“I want to say thanks to everyone out there who has made this possible. My wife and my girls, who sacrificed so much, thank you for all your support. No person will ever know what we’ve been through.
“I will continue to play franchise cricket for a while, and I am also open to playing for [Australia] in the Champions Trophy if selected.
“This team has had unbelievable success the last few years and long may this continue. Pat Cummins, Andrew Old Mac (McDonald, Australian coach), and staff have got this,” he added.
