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Cricket: Australia rule out Warner for Champions Trophy

David Warner called time on his international career following the recent T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, but the door has now been left slightly ajar for the ICC Champions Trophy.

The veteran left-hander posted a lengthy social media statement upon the completion of the 20-over showpiece, in which the Baggy Greens missed out on the semi-finals following Super 8 losses to both Afghanistan and India.

Warner will continue to play franchise cricket for the time being and that means that he will be ready should his country come calling for the Champions Trophy, which takes place in Pakistan in February and March of 2025.

"I will continue to play franchise cricket for a while and I am also open to playing in the Champions Trophy, if selected," Warner stated, but should Australia consider him as a genuine selection option?

The question was answered as they named their squad for the white-ball tour of Scotland and England, with chief selector George Bailey definitively ruling Warner out of contention.

No doubts over Warner's class

Warner certainly has the ability and record to merit being a candidate, being one of the finest batters of his generation and an all-time Baggy Greens great.

The 37-year-old has made nearly 400 appearances for Australia across all formats, with 161 of those outings coming in 50-over ODI cricket, where he scored 6,932 runs at an average of 45.30, registering 22 centuries and 33 half-centuries.

That puts him sixth on the list of all-time leading runscorers for the Aussies in one-day internationals, with his most recent ODI outing coming in the World Cup final defeat to India in Ahmedabad in November of last year.

He led Australia's run charts in that tournament with 535 from 11 innings, while at the more recent T20 World Cup he racked up 178 from seven knocks, forming a superb opening partnership with fellow left-hander Travis Head - who made 255 runs.

Those two most recent tournament performances show that Warner is definitely still capable of shining on the international stage.

The question is more do Australia want to take a slight step backwards or go ahead with planning for the future? The answer to that query has now been cleared up by Bailey.

Fraser-McGurk takes over the mantle

Before the Champions Trophy takes place, Australia have a white-ball tour of England and Scotland to undertake in September and home 50-over and 20-over series against Pakistan, as well as a home Test series against India.

With so much one-day cricket on the schedule, this appears to be a perfect opportunity to put a new face in at the top of the order and see how they work out alongside the outstanding Head.

Australia’s 50-over captain Pat Cummins had previously suggested that Warner could be handed a call as a "break glass in an emergency option", with Jake Fraser-McGurk having been given the backing of Warner himself.

Warner tipped Fraser-McGurk to have a "fantastic career" as long as he adjusts to the new challenges, but the six-hitting right-hander has clearly already demonstrated that he has the ability to succeed.

The 22-year-old right-hander missed out on selection for the T20 World Cup, having made 10 and 41 in his first two international appearances - ODIs at home to West Indies.

He had previously caught the eye in making 257 runs for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash, clearing the ropes no fewer than 18 times in nine innings.

Fraser-McGurk backed that up with 330 runs for Delhi Capitals in the IPL, this time smashing 28 sixes from just nine knocks.

The talent is most definitely there, and Fraser-McGurk has been named in the squad to head to England and Scotland, giving him the chance to cement his place.

Even if he doesn't, Bailey has ruled out for certain turning back to Warner, whose international career is now definitely at an end.

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