Warner hints at T20I retirement after World Cups

David Warner has indicated he may retire from T20 internationals at the end of next year, although he says the recent success of Australia's 20-over side could help prolong his career in the format.

Warner has spoken previously of his plans to walk away international T20s in order to continue playing Test and ODI cricket, with the 2023 50-over World Cup in his sights.

He says he will "definitely" look to play T20s beyond this year's World Cup in Australia given the following tournament will be held just 12 months later because of an oddity in the ICC's schedule.

After years of scheduling clashes and inconsistent selections in T20 cricket, Warner has praised Australia's refreshed approach to the format, which he says has strengthened his desire to remain an all-format player for now.

"I definitely would be motivated to go to the (2021) World Cup, it's a (short) turnaround," he said in Johannesburg ahead of the T20 series opener against South Africa.

"When you've got such a great group of guys together, and you're enjoying that journey, you don't really want to leave that. At the moment, we're in a great place as a team and I'm just really excited to be a part of it again.

"This year will be my sixth World Cup and I definitely feel like this team we've got has the best chance of winning, particularly at home.

"If you manage to win on home soil, you obviously want to try and go back-to-back. That'd be an awesome feeling.

"But I'm 34 this year so if I want to keep playing Test and one-day cricket and get to that next one-day World Cup, something's going to have to give."

Two years ago, the International Cricket Council decided the 2021 Champions Trophy tournament in India would instead be a World 20-over event, meaning there will be two T20 World Cups in the space of 12 months.

Under the ICC's proposed tournament schedule for 2023-2031 – which is yet to be approved by member nations - the next T20 World Cup wouldn't be until 2026, which makes the 2021 tournament a logical end point for Warner.

The opener exploded onto the international stage in T20 cricket and is Australia's highest-ever run-scorer in the format, but he's been frustrated in the past by inconsistent selections and a schedule that has sometimes meant he's been unavailable to play.

In both 2014 and 2017, three-format players like Warner were forced to miss a T20 series for Australia due to a scheduling clash with a Test campaign abroad.

And at the last T20 World Cup in 2016, Australia were knocked out in the quarter-finals after they axed Aaron Finch as skipper just weeks out from the start of the tournament and stacked the squad with openers, which forced Warner to bat at No.3 and No.4 in the order.

"If you look at the past, we've picked six openers," he said. "That's not going to work, the game plans just don't work.

"I remember batting four in India - that's not my position. But I was able to put my hand up and say; 'we've got to fit someone else in, we can achieve that'.

"Now we know our roles, it's all clear, there's definitely no excuses.

"The schedule in the last 12 months has been perfect in the sense we've had that opportunity to play those series.

"I think it's a testament and credit to the selectors, to stick with one kind of team and give guys clarity of their roles. The guys who don't walk on the park, they know what their role is as well if they do get selected.

"It's (about) having that clear plan when we go out there."

Australia enter the three-match T20 series against South Africa unbeaten in their past eight matches, with their most recent defeat coming against the Proteas in late 2018.

The opening match of the series at the Wanderers, which is officially sold out, starts at 3am AEDT on Saturday morning before games in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.

Australia's Qantas Tour of South Africa 2020

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

First T20: February 21 at Johannesburg. 3am AEDT (Feb 22), Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second T20: February 23 at Port Elizabeth 11.30pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third T20: February 26 at Cape Town. 3am AEDT (Feb 27), Fox Cricket & Kayo

First ODI: February 29 at Paarl (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second ODI: March 4 at Bloemfontein (D/N). 10pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third ODI: March 7 at Potchefstroom. 7pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo