India Vs Australia 3rd ODI: David Warner Has ‘Burning Desire To Open For Australia’, Says Wife Candice Warner

David Warner will be the captain of Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 in the absence of injured Rishabh Pant.

Australia opener and Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner’s wife Candice has revealed that her husband could have retired from Test cricket in front of home fans in Sydney earlier this year but he has that ‘desire and hunger’ to contribute to his team in the Ashes 2023. Warner’s Test career has been under the scanner in recent times and the Australian legends are questioning whether the 36-year-old is still worthy of a spot in the playing XI as the opener has struggled to get going in matches.

The opener’s Test form has been a concern since 2022, making just 607 runs at an average of 26.39 in 14 matches, which includes a double-century in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa last year. After a double hundred against South Africa, Warner has passed the 50-run mark just twice in 20 innings.

The opening batter was ruled out of Border Gavaskar Trophy, where recorded mere scores of 1, 10 and 15, mid-way due to concussion and also picked up a hairline fracture in elbow. Warner, however, will be the captain of Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 in the absence of injured Rishabh Pant.

Notably, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said that left-handed opener missed the ideal timing out in front of his home crowd after playing the Test match against South Africa in Sydney. But his wife Candice revealed that Warner never considered retiring in the New Year’s Test earlier this year as he has his eye on the Ashes, which will take place in England in June and July.

“David still has a burning desire to open the batting for Australia. There’s still a lot of things that he wants to achieve that he hasn’t achieved,” Candice told Yahoo Sports.

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“And clearly one of those would be to perform at the best he possibly can in England against the Dukes ball. Whether the selectors and the coach allow him that, I don’t know. But I do know he still has that desire and that hunger to continue. He’d love to go out on his terms but you’re not always afforded that opportunity and David fully realises that. He could have easily retired after the Sydney Test this year, but that’s not what he wants. He still wanted to contribute to the team in India and still be there at the Ashes and then we’ll just see.”

Warner is also a part of the ongoing ODI series against India but he hasn’t played in the first two matches. The opener was picked for the third ODI against India in Chennai, however, Warner did not open the batting in the match.