MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC – Australia opener David Warner plans to skip the home One-day and Twenty20 International series against West Indies in February next year.
Media reports indicate that Warner, who plans to retire from Tests at the end of the current home series against Pakistan, will instead be playing for the Dubai Capitals in the second edition of the International League T20 tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Chief executive officer of the Australian Cricketers’ Association Todd Greenberg said Warner would likely start maximizing his T20 league availability following Test retirement in Sydney next week.
“I think the short answer to that is probably yes,” Greenberg said. “I know he’s committed to the BBL (Big Bash League in Australia).
“There’s no doubt in the next phase of Dave’s life, he will be looking to ply his trade where he gets the best return on his investment. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that; I’m encouraging him to do that.
“There will be times when he’ll be looking to miss certain games and tours. That’s the flexibility we’ve got to get our heads around. Some people won’t like that, but that’s the modern world we live in, and we must embrace it.”
Reports indicate that Australia is likely to rest top players for the ODIs and T20Is against West Indies – but a full-strength team is expected to be picked for the subsequent T20I series against New Zealand, bearing in mind the T20I World Cup to be staged in June in the Caribbean and the United States.
West Indies will also play two Tests on the Tour of Australia and have named a 15-member squad, but the line-ups for the ODIs and T20Is have yet to be announced.
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