Happy to sit down and have a chat with the new board, reveals David Warner about returning to captaincy

After Aaron Finch announced his retirement from one-day cricket post the recently concluded series against New Zealand, the slot for Australian skipper remains open with no outright contenders. The 35-year-old had been at the helm for over three years in the format and led the Kangaroos to multiple successes across the world. With the ICC World Cup 2023 fast approaching, Cricket Australia will need to be quick on its feet in order to give ample time to the new skipper to adapt the team to his methods.

With Tim Paine's exodus from the Test squad leading to Pat Cummins being named Test captain, the pacer now seems to be in line to take over in the fifty overs format as well. However, prolific opener David Warner believes he deserves another shot as well, despite his coloured past. The veteran was found guilty of spearing a ball-tampering incident against South Africa in Newlands in 2018 when he was vice-captain and has since been banned permanently from leadership roles by CA. Nevertheless, the 35-year-old thinks the incident is in the past and he has paid his dues already. 

"Any opportunity you get asked to captain or whatnot, it's a privilege," he was quoted telling Fox Sports on Tuesday.

"For my circumstances, that's in Cricket Australia's hands and I can only concentrate on what I have to do, and that's using the bat and trying to get as many runs as I can. My phone's here. At the end of the day, what's done in the past is done. There's a new board and I'm always happy to sit down and have a chat about anything," Warner added.

Finch himself has backed Warner, labelling him an 'unbelievable tactician' and urging the cricketing body to overturn their ban. It remains to be seen whether he hangs up his boots in T20Is as well following the ICC World T20 next month on home soil given his extended run of poor form, considering it could open up an opportunity to name a separate white-ball skipper altogether.

"He hasn't said if he's going to finish after the World Cup from Twenty20 cricket. Obviously, we all back him and support him 100%. He loves the short form of the game as well. I'm sure he'll go back to the nets and work hard and work out what he needs to do to put runs on the board," Warner concluded on the matter.