"He's eager to continue on at this stage. He has not hinted [at] anything else," McDonald said. "His appetite for the work - in and around training - is still there. He's busy at the crease, and you've seen signs that he is going well. He's just found different ways to get out, and sometimes that can happen.

"We are building towards a World Test Championship [final], and he wants to be part of that. So that's a clear focus for us, and we've got South Africa as a part of that. And then on to India."

"We'll see what happens in the next three Test matches. But at this stage, he's firmly in our thoughts for India," McDonald said. "We've seen the more times you tour certain areas of the world, the better you get at it.

"But it's also the knowledge that he can pass on to the younger players in and amongst that. We really value our senior players - both on and off the field - in terms of that education process. So there's huge benefit for those players to be touring those areas, and albeit if they don't play, they can still have an impact."

Ahead of what should be a tough three-match series against South Africa - who boast a star-studded pace attack - Warner has been backed to shrug off any distraction from the lingering off-field tumult before the first Test at the Gabba starts on December 17.

"He's great at compartmentalising, [and] separating the off-field from the on-field. And I think most of the great champions do that very well," McDonald said. "I sense this situation is not different. We respect and understand David's decision to withdraw from that appeals process.

'He's moved forward, we're moving forward as a team, and we've got a seriously good opponent confronting us at the Gabba. So our focus is firmly on that... and so is David's."