'Self-absorbed garbage': Former Test opener unleashes on David Warner's bizarre offer
Former Australian Test opener Greg Blewett has ripped David Warner for effectively declaring himself available for Test selection, declaring the comments "garbage" and "self-absorbed".
And he ended the spray by pleading with him to "stay retired", echoing the opinion of many pundits following Warner's revelation on Tuesday.
When Steve Smith was confirmed to return to No.4 when the five-Test series against India begins next month, Australia again began looking for a new opener alongside Usman Khawaja.
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Warner said he was "dead serious" about coming out of retirement if asked to.
On Thursday, Blewett suggested he only made the comments to drum up publicity for the India tour. Warner will join Fox Sports' commentary team this summer, and Fox Sports is a News Corp product.
Warner after notching up fifty against Pakistan in his final Test in Sydney in January. Getty
"I honestly never heard so much garbage in my life," Blewett said on Triple M Adelaide's Rush Hour with Bernie, Blewey and Jars.
"It's self-absorbed and the guys getting around him work for the same company he's going to commentate for this summer. (They're) saying Australia don't know what they've missed out on, or how lucky we've had with David Warner, and we didn't respect him enough."
Blewett said Warner was an "exceptional" player, but pointed to his dropping average in the back-end of his career. In his last 23 Tests, Warner averaged only 30 and scored only one century.
In his final nine Tests against India, he averaged just 19.4 with a highest score of 56.
"He was just average, now he's putting his hand up saying 'I wanna be the saviour'?. Let someone else have a go," he said.
"Young Sam Konstas is going to be very, very good if they give him the opportunity. Josh Inglis might get an opportunity. Nathan McSweeney might get a job as well.
"It's not like he was making run after run after run, and we get him back into the side and it'll just fill a gap for this summer. He was playing some bloody average cricket, and that's why he was retired.
"We've moved past David Warner ... stay retired. I like David Warner. I've worked with David Warner, but stay retired and give someone else a go."
Australia coach Andrew McDonald has already turned down Warner's offer.
The first Test against India begins in Perth on November 22.
