Cricket

IPL 2019 News: Steve Smith and David Warner’s participation confirmed

Dixit Bhargav
|PublishedMar 09, 2019

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 10: David Warner of Randwick-Petersham and Steve Smith of Sutherland embrace at the end of the Sydney Grade Cricket One Day match between Randwick-Petersham and Sutherland at Coogee Oval on November 10, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Steve Smith and David Warner’s participation confirmed: The Australian cricketers will be seen playing in IPL 2019.

Cricket Australia have confirmed the participation of stellar Australia duo of Steve Smith and David Warner for the 12th season of the Indian Premier League. While their year-long ban is scheduled to end on March 28, their IPL stint was in jeopardy as Australia will be playing against Pakistan in UAE at that time.

After their involvement in the infamous Ball Tampering saga at Cape Town last year, both Smith and Warner were suspended from playing in the IPL as well. Them returning to Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively is most likely come as a great respite for both the franchises.

“IPL is the best pathway”

Their participation was announced recently after the Australia selection committee named the Australian squad for the tour of UAE. Having not included the pair, chief selector Trevor Hohns made the development public.

“While their bans will be finished on March 28, Steve and David have been working through rehabilitation from elbow surgery and it has been agreed the best pathway for them to return to play is in the Indian Premier League, a strong competition which features some of the world’s best players,” Hohns was quoted as saying on Friday.

It is clear that Cricket Australia have enough belief that the IPL will provide a competitive environment for both the cricketers to make a comeback. With a looming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, one expects both of them to put their best foot forward in a bid to press their case.

“David will play with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Steve with Rajasthan Royals. Cricket Australia will continue to liaise with both Steve, David and their IPL clubs to monitor progress as we build towards the ICC World Cup and the Ashes,” Hohns added.

While there is a lot of advocating being done regarding them being included in the squad for the world event, both the cricketers would be wanting to come back on the back of runs and not reputation.

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About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.