“Candice and I have our baby coming in September, so it’s fantastic to be able to have that time off”

Image courtesy of: The Australian

Australia opening batsman David Warner will miss the tri-series against Zimbabwe and South Africa in August-September as he and his fiancée Candice Falzon are expecting their first child during that period.

In his column for Cricket Australia’s website, Warner also noted that his “batteries are slowly draining”.

“Candice and I have our baby coming in September, so it’s fantastic to be able to have that time off,” Warner wrote. “Since Darren Lehmann came on board as coach he’s told us all that family comes first, and that’s a big thing because we’re on the road for a long time. So that any time a major personal matter crops up – whether it’s a family member being sick, getting married or having a baby – the exemption is there for you.

“With the World Cup coming up next year and the fact that it’s an ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe, I would normally immediately put my hand up for selection. That’s because playing for Australia is what I’ve always wanted to do since I was a youngster and you never want to miss an opportunity. But that’s what happens in life – you settle down, you get married and you have children.”

Australia head coach Darren Lehmann supported Warner’s decision to miss the tri-series.

“We are 100% supportive of David choosing to stay home and await the birth of his first baby,” Lehmann said. “It is an important time in anyone’s life and I am a firm believer that family comes first.”