“He’s gone fishing”: Tim Paine’s take on David Warner’s comeback comments

Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has given his take on David Warner’s comments that he’s willing to backflip on his retirement if selectors need him this summer.

The 37-year-old retired following last year’s SCG Test, but with Cameron Green out of the side and Steve Smith moving back to number four, a vacancy has opened up at the top of the order – a position Warner held for over a decade.

While Warner told News Corp that, ‘I’m always available, (the selectors have) just got to pick up the phone’, Paine – who played with the retired star – is certain that he was simply fishing for a response from the media and cricket fans.

“If I was writing you a text message, it would have the fishing rod emoji because that is what David is doing,” Paine told SEN Tassie.

“He's gone fishing, and everyone has bitten down hard. Not only have they taken the bait, they've eaten the rod and chewed off half his arm at the same time.

“David is retired, he will not be playing in the next Shield game or more Test cricket for Australia. That was clear when he retired.

“But what he has got is one of the great knacks of saying something and people just biting down on it so well done to him.

“I think he's played everyone beautifully. He says himself, ‘I've cheekily messaged both George (Bailey) and Andrew McDonald’.

“He says he's dead serious, but he's not dead serious.”

Paine thinks that Warner’s ability to create news and headlines will suit his life after cricket perfectly as he joins the Fox Cricket team for the upcoming summer.

“He has a great knack for creating news, that's why he signed on to Fox,” Paine said.

“He's going to be great in the commentary box because he's prepared to have a crack, and he'll say what he thinks.

“And two, he's a bit like Warney in that whatever he says will create headlines.

“He retired. It's done. It's all over. We can stop worrying about it.”

The first of five Tests between Australia and India in Perth begins on November 22.