The greatest spinner of all time, who is now looking fitter than ever at 43, told the Herald Sun newspaper that he was “very happily” retired from international cricket, but his tune would change if Clarkey (who also acts as a selector) sent him an SOS.
“If your best friend says, ‘Mate, I want you to seriously consider making a commitment to Australian cricket and coming back out of retirement’ … that’s a different scenario,” Warne said. “Especially with back-to-back Ashes coming up next year.”
Warne was speaking ahead of the opening match of the Big Bash League T20 series in Australia on Friday, in which is plays for Melbourne Stars, and reckons he’s bowling as well as ever.
“I’m definitely not asking for Michael Clarke to come out and say that – that’s a different scenario,” he says. “You asked me if I think I could still play international cricket if I wanted to just turn up, do my bowling and if the first Test match was in three weeks, do you think I could play, (then) I’d have no hesitation in saying yes – and I think I’d do pretty well.”
Warne said his many business and family commitments meant time wouldn’t be on his side if he wanted to make a comeback – he retired along with Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer in 2007.
Warne has 195 Ashes wickets in 36 Tests at a mind-boggling average of 23.25.
He used to do ridiculous things like this:
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