Watch out England.. Warnie's return for ashes 09?

[Whisper]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23726677-23212,00.html

JUST 16 months after retiring from Test cricket, Shane Warne has dramatically opened the door for a comeback. Australia's greatest leg-spinner said that if circumstances were right, he would consider returning against arch-enemy England in next year's Ashes series. "If Australia really needed me and there was no one else around, and Ricky thought I could do the job, you would weigh up the options," said Warne, who will turn 40 during the Ashes series. Warne has worked miracles leading the Rajasthan Royals to the top of the Indian Premier League table, mesmerising batsmen with the leg-spin that collected 708 wickets in 145 Tests. Warne, who retired from Test cricket after Australia won the Ashes in January 2007, said he would return should injury again cut down Stuart MacGill. "If Stuey MacGill fell over and broke his leg, and there were no other spinners around, and Ricky came out and said, 'Mate, can you please help us out for this one-off tour? We need you', that is something I would weigh up," he said. Earlier, the Australia skipper praised Warne's performance in the Indian Premier League, where he has taken 14 wickets at 18.78 runs. Ponting said while Warne was bowling as well as ever, he doubted the leg-spin king was interested in a comeback. But Warne told the Herald Sun he would return if called upon by his country. "If I wanted to keep playing I don't think there would be an issue with me being the No.1 spinner and performing," he said. "I would still love to be playing international cricket, and miss it because I devoted 20 years to first-class cricket. It is a big part of my life," he said. "The reason I retired was to spend time with my kids. I was also sick of international touring here there and everywhere, other commitments, and team meetings. "If you could just turn up and play Test cricket, that would be cool. I would definitely consider that. At this stage, it is a fairytale." Warne believes his work with young Aussie spinners and state skippers last season should negate the need for him to again terrorise the English. "Hopefully over the coming years we can produce a few options for the selectors and Ricky to choose from," he said. "I also believe in Stuart MacGill." Ponting has backed MacGill, fresh from taking 4-79 and 3-50 in a tour match against a Jamaican XI in the West Indies, as Australia's probable 2009 Ashes spinner. Despite MacGill's injury history, Ponting has given the 37-year-old the green light to continue through to the Ashes. "If his body stays right there is no doubt that he is the best wicket-taking spinner in Australia," Ponting said. "So if he keeps himself fit and has the desire and passion to keep playing cricket, then I'm pretty sure he would be good enough to get the Ashes job done." After having hand surgery and resting his wonky knee, MacGill has returned to action looking much slimmer and sharper than the man who struggled terribly at the start of last summer. He bowled with penetration and pizzazz on a spinning pitch in the tour match in Trelawny, using his big-turning leg-break as his primary wicket-taking ball. His performance helped to ease any doubts that he might not rediscover his form of old. Ponting is enthusiastic about how MacGill has returned and has forecast he will be a dangerous weapon in this week's first Test against the West Indies, and then against India later this year. "Full credit to him. He looks a lot fitter and has obviously lost a lot of weight," he said.

It's funny i actually had this conversation with a friend when Hogg retired saying how i had a feeling Warne would be back for the next ashes. *crosses fingers*

[msb1991]

It is merely Warne teasing the media - he won't be back.

[Laaloo]

bring him in october to india :D

[gs]

Aussies have just started f.cking with the minds of English players - its their usual pre-series "mental disintegration" cr.ap!!

[satishg]

bring him in october to india :D

hehe SRT wud be licking his lips then so too VVS..warne comeback india even in his worst nightmare he wont do it :hysterical::hysterical:

[Mr. Wicket]

Well, he said something pretty similar last year right before the 07 World Cup. Warne's a real master at playing the media, although if you read his actual word for word comments, there's basically no chance in hell (given that you'd need the major candidate to be injured and Ponting to come to His Holiness SKW begging for his return) of it happening. Good to see he can still have the world jumping up and biting the moment he casts out a bit of bait though.

[DomainK]

Shane Warne considers come back Seems IPL has refueled him. Source:http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23726666-2882,00.html

[ludhianvi]

Spinners are one who can keep on playing for a long time as long as they maintain their fitness. I think I heard somewhere that wine tastes better as it ages. Same analogy can be applied to the spinners

[fineleg]

Spinners are one who can keep on playing for a long time as long as they maintain their fitness. I think I heard somewhere that wine tastes better as it ages. Same analogy can be applied to the spinners

And warne sure will hope that his GFs think the same as well :D

[ssd123]

As soon as warne retired from tests I straight away said he will make a comeback one day. I think you will find that with macgill struggling so much that warne is going to play for victoria and his club side stkilda next aussie summer before coming back to test cricket on the tour of south africa in march 2009. Warne could play for another 5 years, someone made the comment the other day that he is in better dhape now than when he was playing because he has really sorted his diet out and feels much better about himself now.