Former SRH skipper David Warner might have been removed from captaincy of the team during IPL 2021, but his heart still lies with Hyderabad. Apart from an emotional message posted on Instagram in Telugu, Warner also posted a collage of pictures, where he can be seen spending time with his daughter. While one picture shows SRH fans, the other shows his jersey. Another one from the collage is of his daughter roaming in an auto.
“My second home is still in India, Hyderabad is my favourite place," read a rough translation of Warner’s Insta post. The post was warmmly received by his fans from Hyderabad and other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Australia have announced their initial preliminary squad for the upcoming West Indies and Bangladesh white-ball tours down to 18 men after confirming that seven of their top stars will not be part of the touring party. Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson have all pulled out of the tours.
“We are naturally disappointed not to have all players available for the Australian team at this time however the NSP (National Selection Panel) respects the decisions of those who have opted out of this tour," head selector Trevor Hohns said in a statement.
“Steve Smith was unavailable for selection due to an elbow injury and will now be able to use this time to fully recover ahead of the World Cup and home Ashes series. Steve was disappointed to miss the tour with the decision made on medical grounds," he added.
While the squad does appear a depleted look, it also means an opportunity for the fringe players to prove their credentials with T20 World Cup. “International tours in the time of COVID-19 undoubtedly present many additional challenges for athletes," Hohns said. “They also present opportunities for others and, in this case, the chance to push for selection in the Australian men’s T20 World Cup squad later this year and beyond."
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