David Warner takes net session against Test quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood before T20 clash at SCG
David Warner returned to the Aussie dressing room for the first time since the ball tampering scandal as he faced Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins in a shock training session at the SCG.
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Justin Langer has taken a significant step in soothing the wounds of the ball tampering scandal by inviting David Warner back into the Australian fold.
Warner returned to the national dressing room for the first time since Cape Town as he faced Test pace guns Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins in a shock training session three hours before Australia took on India in the Twenty20 international.
In the initial wake of the scandal, there were doubts cast over Warner’s chances of playing international cricket again, but the call to face the Aussie quicks on the eve of their Test series is the strongest sign yet that the 32-year-old opener is firmly in Langer’s plans for the World Cup which comes immediately after his 12-month ban expires.
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Langer watched on like a hawk in the umpiring position as Warner emerged from the SCG rooms alongside the coach to face a barrage of world-class bowling from his old teammates, who were in rare form with the ball.
It was as intense a battle between bat and ball as you would see in the nets all summer as Cummins and Hazlewood steamed in for at least half an hour.
Steve Smith and Warner have been training regularly with NSW, but it’s understood this is the first time either of them have been back in official face-to-face training with the national set-up.
Warner had earlier in the day smashed 81 off 49 balls for Randwick-Petersham in a grade cricket T20 against North Sydney to continue his outstanding form since being banished to the local Sydney scene.
Relationships between Warner and the fast bowlers in particular, were fractured by the ball-tampering affair, but Sunday’s surprise session was a sign that things may be repairing.
Warner was wearing a NSW training kit and wearing his Randwick-Petersham helmet as he faced Hazlewood and Cummins bowling in their Aussie gear.
Under strict International Cricket Council rules, no Australian T20 squad members were allowed in the nets until after Warner had finished with Hazlewood and Cummins – who weren’t part of this series.
Hazlewood and Cummins beat the bat and fired in a series of short balls in an ominous warning to India ahead of the first Test in Adelaide on December 6.
But Warner’s defence held firm and it was an earnest work-out all-round.
Aaron Finch and Warner chatted through the nets, but the T20 captain had to wait until his long-time mate had left before he could strap the pads on and enter.
Asked to go back and invest himself in grade cricket, Warner has got his body into supreme shape and sits atop the grade run-scorers list.
There had been a sense from the Australian hierarchy of wanting to test the temperature of the team environment ahead of Warner’s anticipated return, but Sunday was a sign that the coach believes all parties can bury the hatchet and work together again.
Former Test great Allan Border told News Corp Australia last month that Langer will have himself fully prepared for the day Smith and Warner are to transition back into the Australian side.
“I think he’s probably concentrating on the here and now,” said Border.
“Justin is the sort of guy who is very well prepared so I’m sure he’s probably thinking about what life is going to be like when that day arrives – when both of those guys are available again.
“How much conversation he’s had with them, I don’t know. I assume knowing Justin the way I do he’ll be having those conversations and trying to work out how it all comes together and keeping the side playing at its absolute best.
“He’s thinking about the right now … if he can do that then the other issues, he’ll cope with as they arise.”
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Originally published as David Warner takes net session against Test quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood before T20 clash at SCG
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