David Warner is not feeling the pressure and has vowed to play international cricket until 2024 even if the selectors end his prolific Test career.
He arrived back in Sydney on Thursday after his tour of India was cut short due to a fractured elbow. Warner also suffered a concussion during the second Test defeat in Delhi and was subbed out of the match before play on day two.
But the 36-year-old believes he is the right man to open the batting on this year's Ashes tour despite scoring just one Test century during the last three years.
"I've always said I'm playing to 2024; if the selectors feel that I'm not worthy of my spot, then so be it, and I can push on to the white-ball stuff," Warner told reporters at Sydney Airport. "I've got the next 12 months, a lot of cricket's ahead for the team and if I can keep scoring runs and putting my best foot forward for the team and I can help my spot, it'd be great for the team.
"It's easy pickings [for critics] when you're 36 going on 37. I've seen it before with the ex-players as well. So for me if I'm taking pressure off the rest of the other guys, and no one's worrying about the rest of the team, I'm happy to do that."
When asked if Warner was still in Australia's plans for the five-Test tour of England in June, Australia selector Tony Dodemaide declined to commit to the aggressive left-hander.
"We're worried about what we can get out of these remaining two Tests [in India], obviously that's a clear focus for us at the moment," Dodemaide said on Wednesday.
"We'll address the Ashes planning [at a later time], but we are committed to picking the best fit and available players for Test series, particularly something as big as the Ashes.
"That's not a question that we've addressed so far. We are very keen, as everyone I'm sure at home would be, for us to get something out of this remaining series."
Warner has been joined by fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and bowling allrounder Ashton Agar in exiting the troubled tour, with Australia trailing 0-2 and their hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy already over.