Australian superstar David Warner slams critics for ‘sickening’ scrutiny of his Test future

On the eve of the World Cup, Aussie star David Warner says he is looking forward to retirement so his critics can find another target.

David Warner has fired up at his critics on the eve of the World Cup, describing the constant scrutiny over his position in the Australian team as “sickening”.

On a Fox Cricket Howie Games exclusive special to air from Friday into Australia’s World Cup opener against India in Chennai on Sunday, Warner has taken aim at the microscope that’s been put on him since he stated an intention to retire after this summer’s Sydney Test.

Warner has been Australia’s form batsman leading into the World Cup, with only three scores under 50 from his past eight innings, including his most recent 48 against Pakistan.

The 36-year-old all-time great told Fox Cricket’s Mark Howard that he’s fed up with the abuse that’s come his way since outlining his retirement goal on the eve of the Ashes.

“I just can’t wait to finish and then they’ll have to find someone else’s name to use as clickbait,” Warner told Fox Cricket.

“It’s incredible. To be honest – if I’m being brutally honest, it’s actually been sickening.

“And that’s why I always put it back to the team. It’s about the team. It’s not about me and what I’m doing.

“For me it’s about going out there and trying to put my best foot forward and playing to the best of my ability to put the team in a good position.

“That’s why I gave an end date. Because that’s when I’m ending – that’s when I intend to end.

“It’s when I intend to go home and spend some time with the family and live life and join you guys (Fox Cricket commentary). I can’t wait.”

David Warner is fed up with the scrutiny of his announcement of his preferred retirement date. Picture: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images

Australia’s World Cup opener against India will be broadcast live on Fox Cricket and Kayo from prime time Sunday, with every game of the blockbuster tournament to be live and ad-break free.

India will start as raging hot favourites after making light work of Australia in the warm-up ODI series, but Warner said the pressure on the home team should not be underestimated with a nation of 1.4 billion expecting nothing short of a World Cup triumph from their heroes.

“I know when I look back at 2015 (Australia’s home World Cup), the first game we were quite nervous. You’re in your home ground and you’re expected to win and win the tournament. That’s just what happens when you play with home ground advantage. I don’t envy them,” Warner told Fox.

“I know exactly how they feel and will be feeling but it’s a great game to start (for us) because it’s a momentum builder.

“You beat India on home soil in India, that momentum shift for us would be huge.”

India's Shubman Gill enters the World Cup in red-hot form. Picture: Sajjad Hussain / AFP

When asked who the most crucial wicket will be for Australia in Sunday’s crunch showdown, Warner is emphatic – and he’s not talking about batting doyens Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, either.

Warner – who has 20 ODI hundreds to his name – said 24-year-old Indian opening sensation Shubman Gill reminds him of himself as a young bull, taking international cricket by storm.

“You’ve got to start with Shubman Gill. He’s on fire at the moment. He’s just playing with absolute freedom,” Warner said.

“He’s young. I remember looking back at the start of my career and you have no fear. You just come out and back yourself. That’s the most dangerous thing.

“You know what you’re going to get from Kohli, he’s got that experience and he’s going to bat time. That’s how he plays.

“But Shubman Gill, guys that can take it away from you in the first 10 overs it’s very hard to claw back if they get off to 80-90 runs in the first 10 overs.

“He’s probably the key wicket.”