David Warner will weigh up skipping some tours in 2021, with cricket’s bio-secure bubble putting a strain on how much time he can spend with his family.
Key points:
- David Warner said it would be “very difficult” to play every tour in 2021
- Warner went straight to the IPL after Australia’s limited overs tour of England
- Warner said he may focus on Test and T20 cricket over the next year at the expense of the ODI format
Warner is nearing the end of 100 days away from his wife and three daughters.
After leaving Australia for a white-ball series in England on August 23, Warner and 12 of his teammates flew straight to the UAE for the Indian Premier League.
They have since been whisked into two weeks of quarantine in Sydney, ahead of being reunited with their families on Thursday.
And he admits it is a factor weighing on his mind ahead of an uncertain 2021, where questions remain over a COVID-19 vaccine and international travel.
Players will be able to see families in several windows during the home summer, but the year will still be full of time away.
Australia are scheduled to tour South Africa in February and March for three Tests, and could feature in the World Test Championship final in England in June.
That is followed by three ODIs and three T20s in late June and July, before three T20s against Sri Lanka in October leading into that format’s World Cup in India.
“It’s going to be very difficult to be able to [go on all tours],” Warner, now aged 34, said.
“The past six months has been quite challenging in itself getting used to these bubbles and not having the family with me.
“There are going to be times when you can come home and have time with your family. But you have that 14 days in place you have to do beforehand.
“Each individual will have to put their hand up and be brave and do that.”
The veteran said last summer he could retire from either red or white-ball cricket by mid-2021 to prolong his career.
That was before Australia’s hosting of the T20 World Cup was pushed back from 2020 to 2022 and after next year’s in India, owing to the pandemic.
But with the next ODI World Cup not scheduled until 2023, the opener indicated that would most likely be the format he could miss games in.
“That’s something we have identified as players and coaching staff,” Warner said.
“The preference will be the T20 stuff over the next two years. And then gearing up for the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023.”
Meanwhile Warner also revealed on Monday he would likely not feature in the Big Bash while still playing international cricket.
AAP
