Broken but unbowed David Warner back home from India, if briefly

David Warner arrived back in Australia on Thursday with wife Candice and three daughters in tow, his elbow fractured – but you haven’t seen the back of him yet.

Candice and David Warner flank their daughters Ivy, Indi and Isla on Thursday on the family’s return to Sydney from India. Picture: Media Mode

David Warner arrived back in Australia on Thursday with wife Candice and three daughters in tow, his elbow fractured and his Border Gavaskar Trophy chase aborted – but you haven’t seen the back of him yet.

Indomitable if not unbreakable, no sooner had he landed than he was named in Australia’s 50-over squad for a three-match series against India once the last two Tests are played.

While Travis Head will keep his seat warm for the remaining red-ball matches, Warner is a critical member of the ODI side that will play in the World Cup in India later this year. He will have a couple of weeks to recharge his batteries with his family before flying back to the subcontinent.

With his opening partner and former white ball captain Aaron Finch retired from international cricket, the experienced batsman is critical at the top of the order if Australia is to have any chance of taking the trophy.

Matthew Hayden, the only other Australian opener to contribute as many Tests and runs to the cause, said cricket needed to be alert to the gap Warner would leave when he called time on his career. “We are not going to find a better replacement for him as yet,” Hayden said.

Selector Tony Dodemaide said earlier this week that no decision had been made on Warner’s future in the Test team. “That’s not a question we’ve addressed so far,” he said. “We are very keen, as everyone I’m sure at home would be, for us to get something out of this remaining series.”