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David Warner\u2019s hopes of a farewell Test at the SCG in January appear to hinge on his scores at the start of the summer.<\/p>\n
Australian selectors will meet this week to pick a Test squad for the three-Test Pakistan series, which starts on December 14 in Perth. Skipper Pat Cummins said form would be the most important factor when selecting the team.<\/p>\n
After winning the ODI World Cup in India, Australia\u2019s best cricketers will be back in action for another busy five-Test summer against Pakistan and the West Indies.<\/p>\n
Cummins, speaking next to the World Cup trophy at the SCG on Tuesday, was asked whether Warner, 37, would be in the Australian side travelling to Perth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe team is not picked yet. The selectors will pick it after this [Sheffield] Shield round,\u201d Cummins said. \u201cWe\u2019ll wait and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Warner finished 11th on the run-scorer\u2019s list for the recent Ashes series in the UK, with 285 runs at 28.5. He has not scored a Test century in his past 16 innings but had a productive ODI World Cup with 535 runs at 48.63.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Pat Cummins with the World Cup trophy. <\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Warner has stated he would like to finish his Test career on his home ground against Pakistan in early January.<\/p>\n Asked if Warner deserved a send-off Test, Cummins said, \u201cYeah, I mean \u2026 he\u2019s a great of our game in all formats, so no doubt that\u2019s part of it, but first and foremost you always think of the performance side of things when you are picking a side.<\/p>\n \u201cAny player is a better player when they are going in with confidence. I thought he was brilliant during this World Cup, like he has been in white ball [cricket] for a long time. He wasn\u2019t just playing for himself out there. He took the game on and was brave. I think he\u2019s hitting the ball beautifully.\u201d<\/p>\n Australia coach Andrew McDonald, who is taking a short break after the World Cup, was asked on Tuesday about Warner\u2019s position during a radio interview with SEN.<\/p>\n David Warner celebrates a century against the Netherlands.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cLike any other decision, it\u2019s working out who is the best player for that position at that point in time, and I think with Test cricket, it\u2019s really clear. You don\u2019t necessarily need to future-proof things too much,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe see every Test match as important in terms of the direction of Australian cricket. There\u2019s no doubt you will have a younger player from time to time that people will think needs to play or get exposure to play, but I think a lot of that always takes care of itself.<\/p>\n \u201cYou never put a deadline on players. I\u2019m a big believer that you don\u2019t know when the end date is and sometimes players, when they get to 36 or 37, start to hit the peak of their powers. There\u2019s no doubt that when the end comes, I think the player knows when it is the end.\u201d<\/p>\n Warner has indicated he believes he\u2019ll face Pakistan in Perth.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d already had this planned well in advance just to get home, be with the girls,\u201d Warner said on a recent podcast with South African cricket legend AB de Villiers. \u201cWe\u2019ve got about 20 days to try to relax and unwind and then get into that first Test in Perth. It\u2019s going to be a good couple of weeks to spend with the family.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, after a gruelling year on the road, Cummins said he and his fellow fast bowlers want to feature in every Test this summer.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re fully fit and we won\u2019t be resting,\u201d Cummins said. \u201cRealistically, the words \u2018rested\u2019 and \u2018rotated\u2019 get thrown around a lot, but you never miss a Test if you\u2019re fully fit.\u201d<\/p>\n Cummins is at home relaxing with his family before the cricket caravan goes around the country again. The Australian skipper had sympathy for teammates still grinding away in India during a meaningless T20 series who would prefer to be at home and celebrating their World Cup victory.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re humans, not robots,\u201d Cummins said. \u201cPutting everything into a World Cup and playing a couple of days later, I probably don\u2019t begrudge them if they\u2019re not 100 per cent.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a busy few months. It\u2019s still games for Australia. I think it\u2019s great these tours provide opportunities for younger guys or those not in the first XI.<\/p>\n \u201cI [am] still on a high [from the World Cup]. I\u2019m still waking up every morning buzzing. A career highlight for sure. It\u2019s been amazing back here in Australia. Walking down the street everyone has been talking about the World Cup. There has been no shortage of positive reception since we got back.\u201d<\/p>\n It was confirmed later on Tuesday that World Cup squad members Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith, Sean Abbott and Josh Inglis would head home early from the India tour, replaced by Josh Philippe, Ben Dwarshuis, Chris Green and Ben McDermott.<\/p>\n However, Travis Head \u2013 player of the match in both the World Cup semi and final \u2013 is staying for the duration after missing the first two games, both won by India.<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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