“Why do you deserve it?” - David Warner rules out T20 star’s comeback into the Test team during BGT 2024-25

Former Australia opener David Warner shut out T20 star Glenn Maxwell's wish to return to Test cricket, reasoning that the all-rounder hasn't earned his spot. Maxwell recently expressed his desire to return to the Australian Test squad for the Sri Lankan tour in January 2025.

However, he has not played a first-class game since representing Warwickshire in a lone county championship match against Kent last year. While Maxwell was set to play for Victoria in the ongoing Sheffield Shield, a hamstring injury during the recent Pakistan white-ball series derailed those hopes.

Speaking to CODE Sports about Maxwell's potential return to the Australian Test side for the Sri Lankan tour, Warner said (as quoted by Fox Cricket):

"If you’re not being picked for your Shield team, then why do you deserve it? You’ve got to actually want it, to want to play four-day cricket. Unless he’s putting his hand up, he’s playing all the club cricket stuff and all that, to want to play Test cricket, he, in my (opinion), doesn’t deserve that opportunity."

He added:

"I just don’t think you can keep putting your hand up to say, ‘I want to play just that.’ You know, it’s like me saying I just want to play in Australia, like you’ve gotta be seen to be wanting to do the work grind it out and do that."

Following the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia will complete their 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with two Tests in Sri Lanka, starting January 29.

When did Glenn Maxwell last play Tests for Australia?

Bangladesh v Australia - 2nd Test: Day 3 - Source: Getty

Glenn Maxwell last played Test cricket for Australia over seven years ago — during their tour of Bangladesh in 2017.

The 36-year-old scored 28 and 25* in his last Test outing at Chattogram and picked up no wickets in Australia's thumping seven-wicket win. Maxwell has played only seven Tests in his career since debuting against India in 2013.

Picked mainly as a spin-bowling all-rounder in the Test side, Maxwell played all seven of his Tests against Asian sides in away series - four against India, one against Pakistan, and two against Bangladesh.

His lone Test century came against India in the third Test of the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ranchi. Maxwell's best Test bowling figures (4/127) also came against India on his debut in Hyderabad in 2013.

Overall, the white-ball superstar has scored 339 runs at an average of just over 26, while picking eight wickets at an average of 42.62 in his Test career.