David Warner admits to being 'exhausted' ahead of India tour

NEW DELHI: Veteran Australia opener David Warner has admitted to feeling exhausted ahead of the side's upcoming Test tour of India and suggested that he could skip the Cricket Australia awards happening on Monday to recover from a busy summer at home.

Warner's hectic summer at home came to an end on Friday when his side Sydney Thunder were eliminated from the Big Bash League (BBL) finals. He played in Australia's home white-ball series against Zimbabwe, New Zealand, West Indies, Men's T20 World Cup, followed by five Tests against the West Indies and South Africa, before playing six BBL games.

He also had to deal with the mental toll of the fallout coming from his failed appeal to overturn a lifetime leadership ban. "It's been challenging. I'm quite tired, exhausted," Warner told reporters of his busy summer.

Warner, 36, now has five days to rest up before departing for India on Tuesday. But one of those rest days will be taken up by CA's awards, which will be attended by the Test squad ahead of leaving for India.

"There are a few guys who have gone to the UAE League, which aren't going to the Cricket Australia awards. From my perspective, that would've been nice to have had another night at home. But it is what it is," he added.

Warner had a difficult time in his return to the Big Bash League, with the best efforts coming in 36 runs from 20 balls in a rain-affected game. His best performance in the home summer was a magnificent double hundred against South Africa in the 2022 Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"You're not really trying to negate the spinning ball, it's a white ball as well. For me, it was about coming back and trying to inject some energy into the Thunder team and trying to put my best foot forward for the team. It hasn't come off this year," he stated on his not-so-great returns in the BBL.

Warner signed off by being unsure about a return to the BBL next season, which will happen after the ODI World Cup ends in India in October-November 2023. "Hopefully next year I can come out and be a little bit fresher than what I am at the moment. It's going to be a long lead-in to our summer. From a personal point of view, I'm going to have to try and work out how to stay nice and fresh." IANS

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