Why didn't Shane Warne play ODIs after his ban?

[Varun]

So Warne was banned for a year before the 2003 World Cup for taking a diuretic. While he featured constantly in Australia's one-day team prior to this, he didn't play a single game for Australia after his return. How come?

Being a spinner, it couldn't have been injury/fitness related. If anything, McGrath carried on playing in ODIs right until the 2007 World Cup, even after retiring from tests after the successful 2006/7 Ashes.

Australia's secondary spinner at the time was Brad Hogg - and he wasn't as good as Warne.

 

[Gotham Cronie]

So Warne was banned for a year before the 2003 World Cup for taking a diuretic. While he featured constantly in Australia's one-day team prior to this, he didn't play a single game for Australia after his return. How come?

Being a spinner, it couldn't have been injury/fitness related. If anything, McGrath carried on playing in ODIs right until the 2007 World Cup, even after retiring from tests after the successful 2006/7 Ashes.

Australia's secondary spinner at the time was Brad Hogg - and he wasn't as good as Warne.

He was 33, had been dealing with shoulder injuries, and wanted to retire to prolong his Test career.

 

[j_kazmi]

Maybe he valued tests much higher than ODIs as many Australians and Englishmen do.

 

[Varun]

Maybe he valued tests much higher than ODIs as many Australians and Englishmen do.

Sure, but no other Australians proactively retired from ODIs back in the day to focus on tests, unless they were right at the end of their careers. The likes of Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting, McGrath, etc. featured consistently across both teams.

England - yes. Though it didn't help that the English players were poor in ODIs (and in tests as well, for that matter).

 

[Slog]

He wanted to prolong his Test career.

Also its not like Aussies missed him big time

They won BOTH World Cups which happened during his playing career (2003 and 2007)

Also. Brad Hogg did fairly well. And contained well enough. Aussies had enough wicket taking bowling options

 

[Slog]

Sure, but no other Australians proactively retired from ODIs back in the day to focus on tests, unless they were right at the end of their careers. The likes of Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting, McGrath, etc. featured consistently across both teams.

England - yes. Though it didn't help that the English players were poor in ODIs (and in tests as well, for that matter).

Apart from McGrath these Aussie players were effectively asked to retire rather than retire off their own accord. So perhaps they though they had many years to give?

Though yes ideally all of these guys you mentioned (asides from Punter) should have retired right after WC 2007 and focussed on Tests.

 

[Slog]

Maybe he valued tests much higher than ODIs as many Australians and Englishmen do.

That Warne most certainly did

 

[Josh]

I heard a joke somewhere

"WarnE was banned in 2003 for a year

WarnER got banned in 2018 for a year

Grammatically and statistically speaking a player from Australia named

WarnEST will get banned for 1 year in 2033"

 

[barah_admi]

The official story was that he would retire and concentrate on test cricket to break the all time wicket record.

However, there have been rumours that Warne had become too much of a liability for CA and they wanted less of him, meaning time away from the ODI game...for good.

 

[Adijazz1706]

Wasn't much better than Hogg and had too much baggage. Aussies had enough firepower McG Lee Tait Bracken etc

 

[KyoOne]

Perhaps because it was easier to avoid dope tests in tests those days

 

[JaDed]

Not like they missed him, he was imp in 1999,they would probably found him handy in 2011 but he was done by then.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Wasn't much better than Hogg and had too much baggage. Aussies had enough firepower McG Lee Tait Bracken etc

That's a good summary.

Warne brought too much baggage with him and keeping him for tests was a good compromise.

 

[backfootpunch]

Although he didn't play any of the WCs after 1999, along with murali and Saqlain he is among the 3 best spinners of all time in ODIs.

 

[Hitman]

Like Jeff Thomson said in 2005 while he was the chief selector, ODI cricket is a joke. An idiot can get wickets in ODI cricket.