Warner hoping to resume his best format in World Cup rehearsal
David Warner will be hoping for a medical clearance to play in Friday’s one-day match against India given the 50-over game has been by far his best format over the past year.
The veteran opener has been recovering from a hairline fracture of the elbow, which saw him sent home from India for the last two Tests of the recently completed series, won 2-1 by India.
David Warner celebrates scoring a one-day century against England in Melbourne during November.Credit:Getty Images
He will be assessed by the team’s medical staff in Mumbai to see how he recovers from practice before being given the all-clear.
The veteran opener has no more red-ball cricket to push his case for an Ashes tour but has three one-day matches against India over the next week, which are important preparation for the 50-over World Cup in India later this year.
Whatever Warner’s Test future may hold following an inconsistent year, he would appear a lock for the World Cup this October and November.
During his previous 10 one-day innings — going back to the tour of Sri Lanka in June — Warner has scored 506 runs at 50.6 with a century and four half centuries, including two scores in the 90s.
Mitchell Marsh returns to the Australian one-day squad following ankle surgery.Credit:Getty
His last one-day innings was 106 during a three-match series against England, when he also scored 86 in the first match, although England weren’t at their best after celebrating their T20 World Cup triumph.
His recent strong run in one-day cricket contrasts with his Test performances this season. In 11 summer innings Warner scored 341 runs at 31, which included his epic double century during the Boxing Day Test, his only score of more than 50. He had seven scores of 15 or less.
Warner’s recent Twenty20 form is also mixed. During 11 innings going back to the tour of Sri Lanka Warner has scores 340 runs at 34 with three half-centuries, a reasonable return in the game’s shortest form .
However, his last T20 tournament was the World Cup in Australia in October and November, when he struggled with scores of 5, 11, 3 and 25. Australia missed the semi-finals, failing to defend the title they won for the first time a year earlier in Dubai.
Glenn Maxwell is back in the Australian squad after recovering from a broken leg.Credit:Getty
Despite these recent T20 struggles, Warner continues to be highly regarded in the IPL.
He has been appointed captain of the Delhi Capitals, coached by Ricky Ponting, replacing Rishabh Pant, who was involved a serious car accident in December.
It will be Warner’s second stint as a captain in the IPL, having taken the Sunrisers to the title in 2016.
He has the fifth-best record as skipper in the tournament, winning 35 of 69 matches in charge.
Australian one-day squad
Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Australia’s one-day squad remains at 15 players for this series despite multiple changes from the Test tour, with Nathan Ellis coming in for Jhye Richardson last week after the West Australian paceman was sent for surgery on a troublesome hamstring.
Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Sean Abbott, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar and Ellis arrived in India last Friday and trained in Ahmedabad, the venue for the last Test, before flying to Mumbai.
Warner joined the squad in Mumbai on Tuesday following two final rehabilitation sessions on his elbow before departing Australia.
It will be Maxwell’s first outing for Australia since suffering a broken leg in November while Mitch Marsh will play as a batsman only following ankle surgery in early December.
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