There are certain chances the David Warner and Steve Smith will be coming back to the Australian squad after facing a 12-month ban will be taking place during the World Cup, with the former captain’s more problematic elbow injury might cause some serious delay in his comeback.
While the Test skipper Tim Paine was adamant about Warner and Smith both returning to have “a huge part in us winning the Ashes” against England, it is believed that Smith’s return to international ranks from major elbow surgery may well be managed via a longer-term plan than simply pushing him to recover in time for the World Cup in May.
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However, according to the recent reports, Smith will not be a part of the World Cup squad but he will opt to play for Australia A on the tour concurrent to the World Cup or for one of the English county sides. In the meantime, Warner looks set to be recovered from his own elbow surgery in time to be a part of the ODI squad for the UAE tour against Pakistan, with at least two of the five scheduled matches due to be played after the March 29 conclusion of the duo’s bans.
Describing the same, the Australian coach, Justin Langer said, “We’ve got to keep working on how they are with their elbows, first. They’re going to need to get some cricket before coming back into the squad. [Re-integration] has been going on for some time now. We know it’s been a tough time for them, it’s been a tough time for Australian cricket, but we know the word integration has been going for the last nine or ten months, or eleven, it’s getting closer isn’t it. Two great players who on paper we’d be crazy not to have them in the team. It’s about how much cricket they get to play between now and then. They’ll find opportunities. We’ll find opportunities, but I can’t say anything else.”
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Among the other complicating factors of Smith and Warner’s bans was the fact that it effectively ruled both out of any first-class cricket in the Sheffield Shield, which will be played with a Dukes ball in its final four rounds to offer better preparation for English conditions. While Warner will play a crucial role in the ODI team for the World Cup, a slower return to the game would afford Smith the chance to get his longer format game completely grooved for the Ashes.
