Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson believes that David Warner’s announcement of a pre-set date for his Test retirement is an unusual decision. Watson pointed out that while many players desire a “perfect send-off,” not everyone gets it due to the team’s requirements.
For the unversed, back in June, ahead of the Ashes 2023, David Warner declared that if he completed the series and remained in the team for the three-Test series against Pakistan, he would retire after the last Test at his home ground in Sydney. The veteran opener openly announced his plan to conclude his Test career with a farewell match at the SCG in January against Pakistan. This decision was quite bold, especially considering his uncertain position in the Australian XI, and it clearly upset Johnson.
Shane Watson reacts to David Warner-Mitchell Johnson saga
Mitchell Johnson’s recent column in the newspaper has caused a commotion. In the column, Johnson labeled Warner as “arrogant” and “disrespectful” to Australia, arguing that he did not merit a hero’s farewell due to his perceived lack of accountability in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Speaking on the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast, Shane Watson called Johnson’s column interesting. He said:
“Dave put a stake in the ground a long way out which hasn’t really been done before … that I can remember for the last 30 years of cricket where someone’s said a year out Sydney’s my place to finish.”
He added: “Because you never know what’s going to happen, form alone, whether you’re dominating you get that opportunity. … You need to make sure you’re scoring runs. Ricky Ponting would’ve loved the perfect send-off that he wanted as well and most players do, [but] sometimes you get a tap on the shoulder and you get no choice,”
It has to be noted that, Ponting was excluded from ODIs in 2012 as Australia aimed to develop the team for the 2015 World Cup. Watson also faced exclusion from the Test team for a lack of form after the first Ashes Test in 2015.
Johnson subsequently confessed that his criticism of Warner was influenced by personal resentment stemming from a “negative” message he received from the opening batsman.
