Usman Khawaja has declared David Warner is underneath “zero strain” forward of the T20 World Cup weeks after the Aussie opener was dropped by Dehli Capitals coach Ricky Ponting following a poor run of scores within the Indian Premier League.
Warner, who lately introduced his retirement from Take a look at and ODI codecs, was changed by fellow Aussie batter Jake Fraser-McGurk on the Capitals after averaging 21 for the 2024 season, approach down on his profession IPL common of 40.
Consequently many have been hoping to see 22-year-old Fraser-McGurk, who this 12 months had the very best strike price within the IPL of 236, power his approach into Australia’s XI for this 12 months’s T20 World Cup.
The Victorian was as a substitute named as a travelling reserve, which means he’ll solely have the ability to play if one other member of the squad is pressured to withdraw from the match.
Whereas many see the younger gun’s kind as inevitably piling strain on the 37-year-old veteran, Khawaja insisted that couldn’t be farther from the reality because the Australian crew ready to get their marketing campaign underneath approach for the match, which takes place within the Caribbean and United States.
“I don’t assume he’s underneath any strain. I believe he’s underneath zero strain as a result of he’s on the again finish of his profession,” Khawaja advised information.com.au.
“He may play how he desires, do what he desires when he desires. I believe he’s in a very good house so I believe he’ll be fantastic.”
This week Warner scored 54 not out in Australia’s warm-up recreation in over Namibia, and was out for 15 within the 35-run loss to the West Indies.
Khawaja expects Warner to fireplace as soon as once more on the massive stage this June as he enters the ultimate levels of his spectacular profession.
“You’re feeling like it will in all probability be Davey’s final T20 World Cup,” Khawaja mentioned.
“And I’d love nothing greater than to see him exit on an absolute excessive and rating a number of runs.
“Yeah, he’s achieved previously earlier than so it wouldn’t shock me if he does it once more this match.
“However I’m an Aussie, I’m an unashamedly Aussie supporter so I simply need Aussies to win, I don’t actually care how. However I believe he’s confirmed over a protracted time frame that he performs in these tournaments and I anticipate him to carry out once more.”
Aussie off-spinner Ashton Agar mentioned it was solely pure for Warner to undergo some tough patches in scoring however backed him to search out kind within the World Cup.
“For somebody who performs a lot cricket you’re gonna have lean patches right here and there,” Agar mentioned.
“All of us anticipate David to make runs each innings as a result of that’s the kind of participant that he’s, he’s been so good for therefore lengthy.
“However all I do know is he loves taking part in World Cups, he loves the massive stage. If that’s something to go off I predict he’ll have a very good World Cup once more.”
It seems Warner isn’t frightened concerning the fast rise of Fraser-McGurk both, with the younger batter lately telling the Willow Speak podcast Warner had taken him underneath his wing and confirmed him the ropes in India, the place the veteran is a bona fide superstar.
“I can’t complain about something (Warner’s) achieved, he’s helped me a lot already,” Fraser-McGurk mentioned.
In the meantime Khawaja, who at 37 is identical age as his childhood good friend Warner, insisted age was no barrier on the subject of a batter dominating in worldwide cricket as he spoke about his personal expertise getting back from being dropped from Australia’s Take a look at crew in 2019 to being named the ICC Males’s Take a look at Cricketer of the 12 months for 2023.
“I do know from expertise that the older I’ve obtained, the extra I’ve understood the sport, it’s nearly whether or not you possibly can keep on the park while you’re older,” Khawaja, Prime Video’s T20 World Cup Ambassador, mentioned.
“Can you possibly can you retain going day in and time out taking part in the sport on the highest degree? Mentally are you able to keep switched on on the highest degree? And if you are able to do you could type of reap the rewards within the again finish of your profession too.
“So I believe you’ll discover lots of gamers rating lots of runs within the again finish of their careers however there’s additionally these gamers who don’t that kind of stopped scoring runs within the again finish.
“So I don’t actually know, I’m blessed. I’m very grateful that I can go on the market and play cricket as a result of I assumed my profession for Australia was over about three, 4 years in the past. So it’s all a bonus for me now.”
Warner will first get the prospect to search out his kind once more when Australia get their T20 World Cup marketing campaign underway on the Kensington Oval in Barbados in opposition to Oman on June 6 (AEST).
Australia’s ultimate T20 World Cup squad
Mitch Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Inexperienced, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Brief
This author travelled to Trinidad for the Phrase Cup as a visitor of Prime Video, the official broadcaster of the T20 World Cup.
