sport news Candice Warner reveals the Ashes challenge that's motivating husband David ... trends now
Candice Warner has revealed her husband David was happy to risk a fairytale Test farewell in front of home fans in January for the chance to retain the upcoming Ashes series in England.
After coming home from the India tour early due to injury after scoring just 1, 10 and 15 - on the back of a thoroughly underwhelming two years in Test cricket - many Aussie legends are questioning whether the 36-year-old is still worthy of a spot in the XI.
He will go down as one of Australia's greatest-ever openers, and currently has 8158 runs from 103 Tests, but his recent record has left a lot to be desired of late.
Save for his double-century against a weak South African attack in the Boxing Day Test, Warner has passed 50 just twice in 20 innings, and had last scored a 100 in January, 2020.
He is averaging 29.48 since 2021 - well down on his career average of 45 - but more concerningly made just 95 runs from 10 innings in the 2019 Ashes in the UK, which featured three ducks and seven dismissals to his nemesis, Stuart Broad.
David and Candice Warner, pictured on a date night after he returned early due to injury from the India tour. She says her husband is determined to fight hard for an Ashes spot
David and Candice play cricket with two of their daughters on the MCG on Christmas Day last year
Warner then went on to crack a drought-breaking double century in the Boxing Day Test - breaking a very long run of poor form
But Candice said David never considered retiring in the New Year's Test earlier this year despite still riding the wave of a drought-breaking 200, because he has one eye on the Ashes, which will take place in England across June and July.
'David still has a burning desire to open the batting for Australia. There's still a lot of things that he wants to achieve that he hasn't achieved,' she told Yahoo Sports.
'And clearly one of those would be to perform at the best he possibly can in England against the Dukes ball. Whether the selectors and the coach allows him that, I don't know. But I do know he still has that desire and that hunger to continue.
'He'd love to go out on his terms but you're not always afforded that opportunity
