Australia’s captaincy can pull Warne out of retirement: Jones

SYDNEY - To rescue the Australia team from another Ashes debacle, Shane Warne could come out of the retirement if he is offered the captaincy, according to cricketer-turned-commentator Dean Jones.

The latest media frenzy has been sparked by a group of businessmen in Melbourne who have offered a million dollars to 41-year-old Warne to come out of retirement.

Amid an ongoing debate about whether veteran Ricky Ponting should give up the leadership role to focus on his own form, the former Australian batsman said he had discussed the prospect of a Warne comeback with the player himself last year.

“Warnie, without doubt, no joke, could actually come back,” Jones told 3AW today.

“But I’ll say this, categorically, because I want everyone to understand it, if Cricket Australia walked up to Shane Warne and said ‘Would you come out of retirement and we’ll give you the captaincy for two years,’ I know for a fact he would take it. He would play,” Jones added.

When pressed further about Warne being serious about returning to Test cricket, Jones said: “With bells on, he’d be running out of his house right now putting on his cricket shoes and putting on the runners to get himself fit.”

Jones was adamant that Warne, who took 708 Test wickets during his illustrious 15-year career, would be capable of returning to the top level.

“He makes out that it’s really, really difficult to bowl leg-spin and do all that type of stuff,” he said.

“But really, he just walks in off three feet and bowls the ball. So it’s not too hard. Let me tell you, he’s the Rolls- Royce. He can do anything he really wants in that regard. He just has to get himself fit,” he added. (ANI)