BPL 2019: David Warner opens up how he has grown as a father and a husband during his ban

What's the story?

David Warner, the former Australian vice-captain, spoke to the media of his personal growth ahead of his Bangladesh Premier League debut in Dhaka. Preparing to captain the Sylhet Sixers in the BPL 2019, Warner regarded family time and self-development as two of the biggest positives of his 1-year ban from international cricket.

The Background

David Warner, Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft had been banned by Cricket Australia after the trio were caught in a ball-tampering scandal during Australia's Test series against South Africa. While Bancroft was banned for 9 months, Smith and Warner were banned for One year from international cricket. Smith and Warner made their comeback in the recently concluded 2018 Carribean Premier league. The duo will use this opportunity to get back in shape ahead of IPL and 2019 ICC World Cup.

The Heart of the Matter

During an interview in Bangladesh, David Warner, who was hailed as the main architect of the ball-tampering incident stated how his life has been good to him in the past nine months.

The explosive left-handed batsman, while describing his personal life said, "I have been spending time with the family. I wouldn’t be able to do that if I wasn’t sitting in the sidelines. It is about getting the best out of myself and growing as a human being. My most important thing was being a father and husband at home."

When asked about his BPL debut he replied, "Now it is down to playing cricket again and making sure I get Sylhet Sixers on top of the table."

Referring to his BPL captaincy debut against Steve Smith's Comilla Victorians, Warner said, "I will just treat it as another game. It is not just taking on one player but taking on a team of eleven players. It is about making sure that our bowlers know how to get Smith out, and then tackle the rest of the guys."

Warner's ban will end in three months and the former vice-captain of Australia will be looking to play in the 2019 World Cup and 2019 Ashes. Speaking about his return to the Australian team, David informed, "It’s up to the selectors whether or not they want to pick me. All I can do is score runs in this tournament and the IPL, keep putting my hand up and making sure that I am the best person I can be."

What's Next?

David Warner will be seen playing for the Syhlet Sixers in the 2019 Bangladesh Premier League and the Australian will then come to India to play for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 12th season of VIVO IPL.