Steve Smith and David Warner wanted to play in IPL 2019, Cricket Australia confirms

The banned duo of Steve Smith and David Warner will be eligible to play cricket at international level, as the one-year bans levied on them for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018, comes to an end on March 29, 2019.

Since their bans, both Warner and Smith have kept themselves busy playing grade cricket in Australia and participating in the T20 leagues all over the world, including the Global T20 league in Canada and Bangladesh Premier League. Both Steve Smith and David Warner are currently recovering from elbow injuries sustained during the BPL 2019 and Smith even had to undergo surgery for the same.

Cricket Australia confirms returns of Smith and Warner

Though there were speculations that Warner and Smith might join the Australian team to their limited-overs tour to UAE, where they will play Pakistan, in what will be their last international engagement before the World Cup 2019.

However, Australia’s national selectors chief Trevor Hohns has now confirmed that the issue of return was discussed between the two parties and it was decided that both will be playing in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2019 in preparations for the World cup 2019.

“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,” Australia’s national selectors chief Trevor Hohns said on Friday.

Steve Smith has been retained by the Rajasthan Royals and David Warner will turn up for Sunrisers Hyderabad, for whom he won the IPL in 2016. Hohns also mentioned that the two players will be monitored closely and their form will be critical for their selection in the Australian squad for the ICC World Cup 2019.

“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.

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