India vs Australia: David Warner withdrawn from T20I squad after ‘demanding’ World Cup campaign

Australia on Tuesday announced that opener David Warner was withdrawn from their squad for an upcoming 5-match T20I series against India after the demanding World Cup campaign. India and Australia will play the T20I series opener on November 23 in Visakhapatnam, 4 days after the World Cup final in which the two sides met.

David Warner will return home to prepare for the Test series against Pakistan in December-January, Cricket Australia said on Tuesday. Warner had been Australia’s main man in the World Cup 2023, topping the run-scoring charts with 535 runs. The 37-year-old did not miss a single game in Australia’s victorious campaign, proving doubters wrong with his performance in India.

Warner was part of the 15-man squad which will be led by Matthew Wade for the T20I series against India. However, Australia named all-rounder Aaron Hardie as his replacement.

“Selectors decided Warner would return home on the back of a successful yet demanding World Cup campaign,” a statement from Cricket Australia read.

AUSTRALIA T20I SQUAD FOR INDIA SERIES

Matthew Wade (c), Aaron Hardie, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa.

While Australia will miss the services of David Warner, 7 players from the World Cup-winning squad have stayed back for the T20I series.

Travis Head, who hit a match-winning 137 in 120 balls to break Indian hearts in Ahmedabad on Sunday, will be a key member alongside Steve Smith, who will make use of the opportunity to fuel his T20 World Cup ambitions.

Glenn Maxwell will return to Bengaluru when India and Australia play the final T20I of the series in the South Indian city. Wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis and leg-spinner Adam Zampa along with Tanveer Sangha, who was the playing reserve in the World Cup, are part of the squad.

Australia also have big-hitting Tim David and Matt Short in the squad for the T20I series.

Notably, India announced their 15-man squad for the T20I series on Monday. Suryakumar Yadav will lead India for the first time while opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was named as the vice-captain for the first three T20Is. Shreyas Iyer will join the team as Suryakumar’s deputy for the last two T20Is.

Only Suryakumar, Prasidh Krishna, Ishan Kishan from the World Cup squad will play the T20Is as the big names have been rested. Shreyas Iyer is set to return to T20Is for the first time since November after a short break.