David Warner or Steve Smith to play alongside Virat Kohli for Surrey?

Cricket Australia recently banned the trio of Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft. While Smith and Warner got 12-month bans, Cameron was handed with 9-month sanction. The duo already lost their lucrative IPL deal for the 2018 season. However, Smith and Warner stand a chance to participate in England county cricket, only if the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) gives the permission.

County side Surrey is looking to take one of the two banned stars. Surrey coach and the former Aussie coach Michael Di Venuto has confirmed to cricket.com.au that they are keen to pick one of the banned Test stars if the ECB gives the approval.

“From an Australian perspective, it is probably important that they play a bit of cricket at some stage,” Di Venuto said. “I don’t know if they are allowed to play in this competition. I know what it states in their sanctions that they can’t play domestic cricket in Australia.”

To fill Mitchell Marsh’s place

Recently, Mitchell Marsh had a successful surgery on his injured ankle. He will be missed by the Surrey side as he’s available only for the back end of the county season, “We have got a relationship with Mitch to see how he goes with his ankle but we have got a spot we have got to fill as well,” Di Venuto added.

“So, if they are in the right mental state to play cricket and the ECB will have to allow it to start with, then we’d be mad not to look at some of the world’s best players potentially playing.”

Virat Kohli also linked with Surrey

With India’s tour of England coming up with six ODIs in early July before five Tests in August and September, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli recently signed a deal with Surrey. He will have a chance to boost his numbers in the English conditions ahead of much-awaited UK tour.

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