‘Got to be doing our job’: Steve Smith’s brutal David Warner truth

David Warner laid out his Test retirement plan but Australian vice-captain Steve Smith has sent his long-term teammate a reality check.

Australia cricket vice-captain Steve Smith has suggested David Warner’s Test retirement plan may not be as locked in as it seems.

On Saturday night, Warner revealed he wanted to bow out of Test cricket with a final match at the SCG against Pakistan next January, while continuing his short-form career until the 2024 T20 World Cup.

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It means that Warner would play the World Test Championship Final against India, before all five Ashes Tests and three Tests against Pakistan.

It would also mean Australia would have to blood a new opening pair for the two-Test series against the West Indies in January.

But there’s a big if that Smith has doubled down on — whether Warner can find and stay in form to play the final nine Tests of his career.

“It’s nice to have an end date if that’s the way you want to go, but ultimately we’ve all got to be doing our job and for batters that’s scoring runs. That’s all of our jobs,” Smith said.

“In an ideal world that’s when Davey said he’d like to finish up, but he’s got to score runs. All of us do. We’ll see what happens.”

Steve Smith is nothing if not honest. Photo by Ryan Pierse-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

To be fair, even Warner acknowledged the question marks in his comments.

Warner said: “I probably owe it to myself and my family – if I can score runs here and continue to play back in Australia – I can definitely say I won‘t be playing that West Indies series.

“If I can get through this (WTC final and ensuing Ashes campaign) and make the Pakistan series, I will definitely finish up then.”

There remains a huge question mark over Warner as the 36-year-old has been a shadow of his former self recently.

In his past 32 innings dating back to January 2021, Warner has hit 914 runs at an average of 29.4, although minus his Boxing Day 200 last year, it drops to 23.8, featuring just four half centuries in that time.

And Warner will be hoping to reverse his disastrous last tour of England in 2019 where he scored 95 runs at an average of 9.5 and was dismissed seven times by Stuart Broad.

On the bright side for Warner, England have asked for flat wickets where they can play their signature high run rate Bazball style of cricket, which should negate some of the swing that the opening batter found so difficult.

Hopefully Warner can go out on a high. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Smith, who starred for Australia last time they were in England, is determined to achieve his first winning series in England.

While admitting the World Test Championship is something the Aussies want to win, he added that the Ashes was the real focus as the nation last won the urn in England back in 2001, having retained the trophy in 2019 in a 2-all draw.

“The Ashes series here is one that’s eluded us,” Smith said.

“We got close last time and couldn’t quite get over the line.

“It’s certainly something I’d like to tick off my bucket list, winning an Ashes series here.”