Australia's chief selector, George Bailey, announced on Monday (July 15) that veteran batter David Warner will not be considered for next year's Champions Trophy, despite the 37-year-old expressing his willingness to participate "if selected." Warner, who ended his career with the national team following Australia's exit from the T20 World Cup, recently posted on social media thanking fans, teammates, and support staff, while also stating he was "open" to a comeback for the Champions Trophy.
Bailey clarified that the selectors have decided against considering Warner for future selections. He praised Warner's remarkable career across all three formats, stating, "Our understanding is that David is retired and should be commended on what was an incredible career across all three formats. You never know when Bull's joking... think he's just stirring the pot a bit."
Bailey acknowledged Warner's significant contributions to Australian cricket and anticipated that his legacy would only grow over time. He added, "He's had a wonderful career, can't celebrate it enough, and think as time goes by, his legacy of what he has done for Australia, and we reflect 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 this case across all three formats, it's going to be exciting."
However, Bailey indicated that the national team remains open to recalling players like Ashton Agar and Matthew Wade, who were left out of the squads for the white-ball series in the UK. He also mentioned that Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell, selected only for the ODI leg of the tour, are still in consideration for the next T20 World Cup in 2026.
"I don't think there's anyone who's not there that we've put a line through permanently besides David," Bailey explained. "This is the way we are going with this squad. If opportunities arise or there are gaps at different points there's nothing to say that Wadey might not come back, but certainly, at this point, we are excited about giving Josh [Inglis] a run."
Bailey highlighted the importance of the upcoming Champions Trophy for players like Starc and Maxwell, and he pointed out the need to prioritise player fitness for the busy summer ahead. He said, "Certainly for Glenn and Mitch, the Champions Trophy is very much on the horizon, [and is a] very important tournament for those guys. And Starcy in particular, I think he's going to have a huge summer."
Reflecting on Australia's T20 World Cup campaign, which was derailed by defeats to Afghanistan and India, Bailey suggested that the team foundation remains strong but needs to incorporate younger talents like Jake Fraser-McGurk and Cooper Connolly. He stated, "Still think that T20 side, the foundation of it, is a really, really good team. It didn't feel like we needed to completely rip it apart and start from scratch. But it's also a great opportunity to start to explore some other guys."
Bailey also commended Mitchell Marsh, who will captain both white-ball formats, with ODI captain Pat Cummins rested for the upcoming home series against India. He praised Marsh's leadership during the T20 World Cup, saying, "I loved the way he captained through the T20 World Cup. He was really clear on how he wanted to lead that team. He was as disappointed as anyone that we didn't get to the end goal that everyone was hoping to achieve, but if you look at his early success rate as a captain across T20, he's done a really great job."