The legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne feels that David Warner and Steven Smith will destroy any bowling attacks when they return to the international cricket, expectedly in the upcoming World Cup. He backs both of them for the forthcoming World Cup.
Since David Warner and Steven Smith’s one-year suspensions, Australian cricket has faced a massive decline. In this period, the national team has confronted a hard time in international cricket. Though recently the national team has shown some positive signs, they are still far from the world-class success.
However, Shane Warne believes that David Warner and Steven Smith’s return to the national team can change the entire situation. Their one-year suspensions tenure will end on this 28th March. After then, they will be available for the national team selection.
However, the selectors haven’t selected them for the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan in UAE. While the five-match ODI series will be Australia’s final ODI assignment before the forthcoming World Cup, they would be available for the last two ODIs of the series. But after observing their present fitness conditions, the selectors have decided not to select them at this point.
However, both can play the upcoming IPL 2019. The selectors feel that it can provide them with the ideal preparation for the World Cup.
I back David Warner to be the player of the World Cup – Shane Warne
Shane Warne has high hope on both of them, especially on the opener David Warner. The legendary leg-spinner believes that David Warner can be the player of the upcoming World Cup.
Shane Warne recently told Telegraph Sport, “The little things that used to make you say ‘here we go again’ don’t matter anymore. You get excited just going to the nets again because you have taken it for granted in the past so I think they will come back better than they were. They are going to come out and destroy attacks and I back David Warner to be the player of the World Cup.
“Warner overstepped the line a lot in his early career. He then changed into a more placid player but was then told by Cricket Australia to be the enforcer and was doing what he was told. I think what you are going to see is a pretty quiet David Warner and Steve Smith. They are just going to try and let their bat do the talking and toe the line.”
England and Wales will host the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup from 30th May to 14th July. The record five-time World Cup-winning side Australia will begin their World Cup journey as the defending champions. Their first match in the upcoming World Cup will be against Afghanistan on 1st June (at Bristol).
Why do we not have a free hit for a no-ball in Test cricket?
The new MCC World Cricket committee member Shane Warne believes that the free-hit can make the Test cricket more attractive. He feels that this process can sort out the present messy no-ball problem in Test cricket.
He said, “Why do we not have a free hit for a no ball in Test cricket? England recently bowled their first no ball in one day cricket for three years. Why? Because of the fear of a free hit. If we bring it in Test cricket maybe that will sort out the no ball problem which is a mess at the moment, with umpires not always checking and wickets being scrubbed off for no balls because bowlers don’t realise they are overstepping.”
The former leg-spinner has also supported to use the Duke ball in Test cricket. At present, the Duke ball only has been used in England.