Turned 34 recently, Australia's experienced all-format opener, David Warner, said his "days are numbered" as an international cricketer, adding that he would rather ignore than engage if the Indians happen to sledge him during the forthcoming summer. 

Speaking in a virtual press conference facilitated by the series' official Indian broadcaster, Sony, Warner spoke of his evolution as a batsman and gave an honest assessment of where he feels he stands at the moment. 

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"I've just recently turned 34, so my days are numbered, when you're in the 30s, there's obviously a risk element but there's obviously a cricket smarts element to it as well," he said. 

Warner said he'll prefer to look the other way if Indians try to instigate him into a war of words. 

"I'll always draw from that mate. To try and get engaged, that's the way they like to play as well," he said. "We're learning over time, trying not to engage in that. Probably try and reversing the effect by trying and ignoring it, trying to take it on board and using it against them by using your bat."

"It's probably something I've learnt over time. And you don't know the effect it can have on your teammates as well. You've got to be a bit more humble in that respect."

Over the last few years, especially since his return post the ball-tampering saga, Warner has focused on improving his consistency by minimising risks in white-ball cricket. 

"For myself, it's about getting off to a good start and taking calculated risks in that middle-overs period if we're talking about 50-over games," he said before the start of the limited-overs series versus India on November 27. 

"For me, it's about making sure that I am batting as much as I can and at a good strike-rate as well. I think last year was probably the most disciplined I've batted in Test match cricket as well."

"I really took pride in the last 12-24 months, to apply that discipline and you keep learning as you get older...You've got to be on top of your game to be able to adapt to that," Warner added. 

An aggressive batsman by instinct, Warner said fatherhood has calmed him down and gained him in patience as an individual. 

"Not get too aggressive or angry when the kids aren't listening. For me, I am getting tested on and off the field. So, it's about being calm and relaxed and trying to sum up the situation you're playing in."

"And making sure, you're taking that right risk at the right time. I think last 12-24 months, I've been doing that quite well."

"Make sure you're not bringing people down with your emotions and keep trying to find ways to get better as a player and as a team player."

Warner also spoke on India captain Virat Kohli's paternity leave post the first Test in Adelaide and said while Kohli's absence will definitely pose a massive challenge for the visitors, they have quality batsmen up their sleeves to fill that void.

"Obviously he is a big piece of their team, that they are going to be missing, but they have got great in-form guys KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank (Agarwal), these guys played in the IPL, so you have got guys who are in good touch," he said.

On the leadership front too, Warner believes with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane set to step up, India are in very capable hands. 

"He's calm and very measured in his approach. He's got a very good cricket brain," he said. "It's like chalk and cheese with them two (Kolhi and Rahane) and as a player to try and engage him on the field, as we're talking about engaging, and getting into that contest as players, it's obviously lots to think about how to do that especially with Ajinkya as captain."

"The great thing from India's perspective is that you've got three if not four very good players who could captain the team at any time. With him, he'll bring a calm and measured approach with his nature."

After initially struggling for flow, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain found his best touch in the later stages of IPL 2020. Warner said he is intent on maintaining his form and that tempo in the white-ball leg of the summer. 

"Yeah definitely. What do you want to see? 100 of 10 overs or something? (laughs). In the one-day stuff, I'll still come out and play the way I normally do. There's probably going to be no change to that," he said.

"Here in Australia, it's a bit different, in 50-over cricket, you can still play the normal way you do and I think I showed that last year, the way I played against Pakistan and Sri Lanka."

"I played pretty much the same way as I did during the backend of that IPL. I won't be changing my game and will go out and tackle it the way I always do," Warner signed off. 

(Inputs from PTI)