David Warner returns to BBL after 9 years

He ended months of speculation around his involvement in the tournament by announcing a two-year deal with Sydney Thunder.

His decision not to play the BBL has always been a sore point with Cricket Australia.

We don’t know what prompted this change of mind but it’s possible that the unpleasant experience with Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL may have made him rethink.

He is expected to be available for the franchise following the conclusion of the Sydney Test against South Africa.

In all likelihood, Warner will feature in five of Thunder’s league games.

After that, he will be absent as the Aussie team will go to India for a four Test tour.

This decision was a major disappointment to the organisers of the new UAE T20 tournament – ILT20, which clashes with the BBL in January.

However, at this stage of his career, it is understandable if Warner wants to maximise time spent with his family and gives a higher priority to tournaments on Aussie soil.

Warner was also quoted as saying “My ‘girls’ have told me that they’d love to watch me play at home and in the BBL.”

“It will be great for us to be a part of the BBL as a family, and it is something that I am really looking forward to sharing with them.”