Former Australia spinner has advised England not to promote Stuart Broad too high up the batting order, claiming the 23-year-old is "not an international all-rounder".
The Nottinghamshire player was last week named in England's Test and one-day squads for the winter tour of South Africa, but Warne believes expecting too much from the Ashes hero could be counter-productive.
He wrote in his column in The Times: "If England want to ruin Stuart Broad, it strikes me that they may be going the right way about it.
"Somebody tell me that he won't bat at number seven for the Test series in South Africa.
Looking at the squad announced last week, it looks as if the selectors may be leaning that way, when it could be the worst thing to happen to the guy.
"I'm not bagging Broad, because he has the makings of being a good player. He is a decent bowler and a reasonable batsman - just not an international all-rounder.
"By thinking that he is, England risk taking his focus away from what he is learning to do well, first and foremost to support frontline bowlers, then to chip in with runs."
Warne also labelled the selection of Luke Wright for the tour as "strange".
"If he is going for experience then fine, because at 24 he is still young and might offer something down the track," wrote the 40-year-old.
"At the moment he is a bits-and-pieces player who is not worth his place with either bat or ball. To move forward he needs to bat at number five and bowl first change regularly for Sussex."
