David Warner Expected to Recover for IPL Despite T20I Absence

After sitting out the third and final Twenty20 International match against New Zealand here owing to adductor tightness, Australia's opener David Warner is probably going to be ready for the start of next month's IPL.

It would take the 37-year-old seven to ten days to get back to full health after retiring from Tests and ODIs last month.

Cricket Australia released a statement saying, "Warner will require a brief recovery period which is not expected to affect his availability for the upcoming Indian Premier League leading up to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup."

Warner had also skipped the second Twenty20 International match as part of Australia's rotation plan. He plans to retire from the shortest format at the end of this year's T20 World Cup in June.

After Rishabh Pant's terrible tragedy the previous season, Warner took the helm of the Delhi Capitals and amassed the highest run total (516 runs) for the squad. This time, Pant is anticipated to return as captain.

When the Australian scored 32 off of 20 balls in the first T20I match against New Zealand, fans in Wellington heckled him off the field.

Steve Smith should have another chance to prove himself in the World Cup team with Warner out of the picture. In the second Twenty20 International, he struck 11 off 7 balls, including a ridiculous six off the air.

Even if Smith is chosen, he is unlikely to start in the World Cup because the top three players will likely be Warner, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh.

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