Rogers opens up on playing future

Chris Rogers has all but confirmed that this week's Test against India will be his last in Australia.

The veteran opener has long targeted an Ashes swansong in England later this year and having seemingly secured his short-term future with four consecutive half-centuries this summer, he looks set to be granted that wish.

"Yeah I think so," Rogers said when asked if the SCG Test against India would be his last on home soil.

"You never say never but I kind of looked at the future and thought the England series and what England has meant for me would be a nice way to finish.

"So hopefully I can get through to the Ashes.

"But if this is the last (Test in Australia) then it’s definitely not the worst one to go out on." 

Rogers will turn 38 in the days following the fifth Ashes Test in August, and he says the strain of over 16 years of first-class cricket is such that he is unlikely to reconsider his retirement plans even if he has a successful tour of the UK.

The left-hander has played almost non-stop cricket for most of his career; his home summers for Western Australia and Victoria have been played around stints in English county cricket for Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and most recently Middlesex.

His return to the Test arena 18 months ago, and the tours of England, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates that followed, have only added to his workload and had him thinking about the end of a career that has yielded in excess of 23,000 first-class runs and 71 centuries.

"I think you get to a point where touring can be quite difficult," Rogers said.

"Playing a lot of cricket can kind of get to you a little bit in the end so I'm looking forward to maybe new challenges as well, but they can wait for the moment.

"I've got a few options (after cricket).

"Cricket's been my life for the last 20 years or whatever so possibly staying involved in the game (is an option).

"Maybe even take some time off, you never know.

"I've been pretty non-stop for a long time now so we'll just wait and see." 

The 2015 Ashes seems a logical end point for Rogers, who has a strong connection with the English game through his years in the county system.

It's also the only 'big-ticket' Test series on the horizon, wedged between home and away Tests against West Indies, while the Aussies also face a two-Test tour of Bangladesh in October before home and away series against New Zealand.

The likely introduction of day-night Tests next summer may also hasten Rogers's exit from the international arena; the colour-blind batsman has struggled in the past to see the pink ball used in the twilight fixtures.

He says the series following the Ashes would be the perfect opportunity for selectors to trial options to replace him as David Warner's opening partner.

"After England I think with the series coming up, maybe that would be a good time for a newer player to come in," Rogers said.

"I think personally a new guy trying to play in the Ashes in England would be very difficult.

"That's hopefully on my side so I'll keep saying that," he added. 

Rogers' likely departure this year will be part of what shapes as a significant exodus of senior players in the next 12 to 18 months.

Brad Haddin (37) and Ryan Harris (35) are nearing the end of their careers, and the future of Michael Clarke (33) is uncertain due to chronic back and hamstring troubles.

The Aussies will this week get a glimpse into their future without Mitchell Johnson, the 33-year-old left-armer ruled out of this fourth Commonwealth Bank Test due to a sore hamstring.

His likely replacement in the XI will be Mitchell Starc, who at 24 is one of five players aged 25 or less to play Tests this summer (the others being Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Joe Burns and Mitchell Marsh). 

With Smith, Warner (28) and Nathan Lyon (27) secure in the side, and the likes of young quicks Pat Cummins (21) and James Pattinson (24) waiting for another chance, Rogers is excited about the next era of Australian cricket.

"At some stage there’s going to be a bit of a generational change," Rogers said.

"Losing Mitch now with Michael out, that’s the start of maybe things to come.

"I’m pretty sure I don’t have a long way to go and who knows about Brad Haddin.

"But it’s good to see that other people can come in and hopefully fit in quite seamlessly.

"I’m looking forward to seeing whoever gets that opportunity doing well."