David Warner smacked down by George Bailey after massive hint about retirement backflip

Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey has shot down suggestions David Warner could come out of retirement to feature in next year's Champions Trophy. Warner officially called time on his international cricket career after Australia was eliminated by India at the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup.

However, the veteran opener raised eyebrows after hinting at a retirement backflip in a social media post last week. The 37-year-old said he was "open" to playing again for Australia if he was selected in the squad for the Champions Trophy - with the 50-over tournament set to be played in Pakistan next year for the first time in eight years.

“The majority of my career was at the international level. It’s been an honour to be able to do this,” Warner wrote on Instagram after confirming his retirement. "100-plus games in all formats is my highlight. I want to say thanks to everyone out there who made this possible.

"For all the cricket fans out there, I truly hope I have entertained you and changed cricket, especially Tests, in a way where we scored a bit faster than others. I will continue to play franchise cricket for a while, and I am also open to playing for Aus in the Champions Trophy if selected.”

An international return for Warner would certainly come as a shock, with the 37-year-old bowing out of 50-over cricket after Australia's ODI World Cup win last year. The opener played his last Test for Australia with a farewell on his home wicket at the SCG in January as the Aussies completed a 3-0 series sweep against Pakistan.

David Warner's hint about retirement backflip shot down

However, Australia's chairman of selectors has shot down suggestions Warner could make an international comeback next year after indicating the 37-year-old is not part of their future plans. Bailey said he thought the retirement backflip hint was a tongue-in-cheek comment from the veteran batter. "You never know when 'Bull' (Warner) is joking," Bailey said after announcing Australia's squads for the white-ball tour of the United Kingdom.

"I've been taking it as... if he's missing us already, that's a great sign. I think he's just stirring the pot a bit. He's had a wonderful career, can't celebrate (it) enough. As time goes by, his legacy of what he has done for Australia and we reflect back on that, that legend of a player is only going to continue to grow. But as far as this team goes and the journey to transition to some different players, in his case across all three formats, it's going to be an exciting one."

Jake Fraser-McGurk emerges as David Warner's successor

Warner's retirement has opened the door for exciting youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk to take the mantle as Australia's opener in the shorter formats of the game. Fraser-McGurk belted 41 runs off 18 balls in a stunning ODI debut for Australia against the West Indies this year. And he took the Indian Premier League by storm, racking up a whopping 330 runs, including four half-centuries at a stunning strike rate of 234 for the Delhi Capitals.

Many felt the in-form Fraser-McGurk should have been picked ahead of Warner for Australia's T20 World Cup campaign and the retiring batter was quick to anoint the 22-year-old as his successor after the tournament. "All yours now champion," Warner captioned on a photo on Instagram of himself and Fraser-McGurk sharing a drink.

Fraser-McGurk has been selected in both Australia's T20 and ODI squads to face England and Scotland in September, with Test skipper Pat Cummins to be given a "pre-planned" rest. Mitchell Marsh will captain both the T20 and ODI sides, with Australia to play three T20is against Scotland, three against England and and five ODIs also against the old enemy.

Former captain Steve Smith will feature in the 50-over format only after being left out of Australia's T20 World Cup earlier this year. And explosive 20-year-old all-rounder Cooper Connolly is in line to make his T20 debut, with veteran wicketkeeper Matthew Wade a shock omission.

"This tour gives us a great opportunity to bring in some new players," Bailey said about the Aussie squads. "We are particularly pleased to offer Cooper his first opportunity in the T20 squad having introduced the likes of Jake (Fraser McGurk), Spencer (Johnson), Xavier (Bartlett) and Aaron (Hardie) in the past 12 months. They are exciting prospects to join the likes of Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis in the white ball set-up."

Australia squads for UK Tour:

ODI squad:

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

T20 squad:

Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

with agencies