Shane Warne believes he could still play Test cricket to a high standard and hinted he could be persuaded to represent Australia once again
The leg-spinner is the second highest wicket-taker of all time in Tests with 708 scalps — second only to his great rival Muttiah Muralitharan.
Yet despite his age and more than five years away from Test cricket, 43-year-old Warne thinks he could still make an impact.
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With a back-to-back Ashes series around the corner and his best friend Michael Clarke skipper of the Australia side, Warne stated he would not dismiss a return out of hand. “If your best friend says ‘mate, I want you to seriously consider making a commitment to Australian cricket and coming back out of retirement’, (to) make myself available for selection, that’s a different scenario,” Warne was quoted as saying by www.adelaidenow.com.au.
“Especially with back-to-back Ashes coming up next year where you take three spinners with you and say, ‘Righto, work with these spinners and see how you go.’ That’s a different kettle of fish. I’m definitely not asking for Clarke to come out and say that — that’s a different scenario. 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 match was in three weeks, do you think I could play? I’d have no hesitation in saying yes — and I think I’d do pretty well.
“From a purely bowling perspective, I don’t think my form would be the concern, it’s just the time and actually making that commitment again,” he added.