Steve Waugh says there are no guarantees David Warner will reach his intended retirement date from Test cricket in Sydney next year unless he keeps scoring runs.
Prior to the World Test Championship final against India, currently underway at The Oval, Australia's opener nominated the third Test against Pakistan at the SCG in January 2024 as his swansong.
"It is not a bad idea to get it out there but that (Sydney) Test is (eight) Test matches away," former Test captain Waugh said.
"In professional sport no one is guaranteed two or three matches.”
Warner, 36, managed just 95 runs at a meagre average of 9.5 on his last visit to England.
He made 43 in the first innings of the current match at The Oval and has reached triple-figures just once in his 33 Test innings since January 2020.
"It is good he has let people know his plan but that doesn't guarantee he is going to make it through to Sydney," Waugh said.
"Everyone knows that as a professional cricketer you are judged on performances and you can't be guaranteed a spot just because you have (previously) scored a lot of runs or taken a lot of wickets.
"You have still got to perform.
"At least we have a clear picture of when he is going to finish up, and maybe for the selectors it gives them a bit of room to plan for the future."
In November 2003, Waugh told a press conference he would retire from Test cricket at the end of that summer's four-match series against India, with his farewell appearance also slated for his Sydney home ground.
His final Test innings of 80 ensured Australia saved the match and drew the series 1-1 to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Waugh said his situation was “a little bit different” to Warner’s.
“I was pretty much forced into making a decision at that time,” he said.
“I was told to make a statement. It wasn't my plan to make a statement.”
Waugh was in Brisbane on Friday to reveal details of upcoming reality television series The Hunt, dubbed the cricketing version of Australian Idol.
Beginning in India in October, teams of 16 will be picked from 50-player squads.
Australia, the United Kingdom, the USA and United Arab Emirates will also participate in season one and the teams will meet to play a tournament.
Brisbane's Marist College, where former Australia opener Matthew Hayden went to school, will house the Australian aspirants in January.
Former international Brad Hogg is already scouring remote Western Australia for Indigenous talent and will play a similar role in the other participating countries.
"It's about nurturing, finding and giving kids opportunities they might not have had otherwise to fulfil their potential," Waugh said.
"And to hear their back stories, know where they came from ... I find that fascinating.
"My dream is that someone from the outskirts of Kolkata picks up an IPL contract."
