Cricket Australia rules out Warne comeback for Ashes

Cricket Australia (CA) Chief Executive James Sutherland has ruled out the possibility of former leg-spinner Shane Warne coming out of retirement to play in the Boxing Day and Sydney Tests of the Ashes series.

Speculation that Australia's leading wicket taker could return to Test cricket had intensified after England won the Adelaide Test by an innings-and-71-runs to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.

"Shane retired from Test cricket almost exactly four years ago, and by his own admission, he hasn't touched a cricket bat or ball since the IPL series early this year," Fox Sports quoted Sutherland, as saying.

"CA hasn't spoken to him about playing and, while the selectors operate independently of CA management, I am not aware of them having any intention of talking to Shane.

"He is Australia's greatest ever bowler and he was always going to be irreplaceable. World cricket is unlikely to see the likes of him again in our lifetime," he added.