Former Australia opener - and new London Spirit recruit - David Warner has outlined the major challenges for England when they embark on the Ashes in Australia later this year.
Following international retirement in June 2024, Warner played the Big Bash League in Australia before signing up for the player draft ahead of the 2025 season of The Hundred.
The former Australia opener was the fifth player to be selected, by London Spirit, who had picked Jamie Overton before that. This will be Warner's first year in the league. He will join up with ex-Australia coach Justin Langer at the Spirit, who also count New Zealand's Kane Williamson and three-capped Australia international Dan Worrall among their squad.
Apart from Overton and Warner, the Spirit also picked Luke Wood, Ashton Turner, Jafer Chohan and Wayne Madsen for the upcoming season.
Warner: Australia's world-class bowlers the biggest hurdle for England
Speaking to the press, Warner was asked about how the two sides stacked up ahead of the men's Ashes in Australia, which starts in November this year.
He stuck with his former team, saying: "At the moment, just with the Australians [as favourites]. Not just knowing the conditions but you’ve got over 1,400 international, or Test wickets in that line up with the Australian cricket team. They’re world class bowlers, they’re always going to turn out and that’s the biggest hurdle for England."
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Warner was also of the opinion that England's high-risk, 'Bazball' style might not be suitable Down Under. "I don’t know if Bazball is a myth now over there, but I can’t see it happening in Australia with the bounce and everything and the fields Australia set last time in England. It would be pretty high risk to play that in Australia.
"Given that you want to wear the wickets out a little bit – get into day four, day five, it’s probably not the way to go about it. But if that is the way they go about it, it’s going to be high tempo, high energy and we’ll all get a couple of days off at the back end I think."
England's Test team are on somewhat shaky ground at the moment after failing to threaten to qualify for the World Test Championship final for a third consecutive cycle. Their struggles in white-ball cricket have not been solved by Brendon McCullum taking on that additional responsibility. The upcoming Ashes will be McCullum's first trip to Australia since taking over the reins of the red-ball side in 2022.
Warner: It's our job as cricketers to excite the fans
The Hundred has had an up and down existence since its first season in 2021, with viewing figures dipping from its early numbers, but also a huge windfall coming into the English game through private investment. Warner provided his take on where the league stands in players' estimations: "We’re about introducing the sport to young kids.
"We want them to participate and I think that’s our job as cricketers and as entertainers to excite the young kids and excite the fans and get everyone talking about the Hundred. I think that’s the talking point that I hear around these other tournaments.
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"[The Big Bash League] was a little bit late, but my daughters loved it and I think that’s what’s important over in England. I think it finishes at 9 o’clock and the odd one at 9.30 maybe and that’s really prime time for parents to bring the kids out and watch. As I said it’s our job to entertain, we want these kids to try and follow in our footsteps."
On a lighter note, it was also pointed out that having signed for the London Spirit, Warner would be playing his home games at Lord's, where he was involved in an altercation with an MCC member during the last Ashes series in 2023.
Asked about whether he might be applauded to the crease this time around, Warner quipped: "I think with the team that we’ve assembled and with the group that we’ve got, I don’t see why not? But most importantly I’ve got to work out if the Lord’s lunches are the same for the Hundred as for internationals, that’s what I’m excited for."
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