David Warner and Steve Smith returned to IPL 2019 after missing out the previous edition
Australia's struggle without David Warner and Steve Smith has been well documented. It has been longer and darker than Game of Throne's latest episode the 'The Long Night' but things much like like GoT with Arya's stabbing of the Night King, is going to get better for the Aussies ahead of the 2019 World Cup.
For sure in the last few months, they have learned to live without their charismatic leaders but now as they are ready and raring to go, the defending champions look like a different class.
Warner and Smith's return to top-flight cricket was long overdue and as they made their comeback in the Indian Premier League, it showed exactly what Australia were missing.
Warner especially has been a standout performer this season. The southpaw before leaving for the World Cup preparatory camp, has amassed 692 runs from 12 games -- the highest in this year's IPL so far. He averages 69.20 and has scored one century and eight fifties and made sure that Sunrisers are on the brink of qualification for the playoffs.
The 32-year-old, who was termed as the chief-offender in the whole ball-tampering fiasco, was stripped of his vice-captaincy role with Australia and said that he won't be considered again for the position but his leadership on the pitch for SRH once again proved that he doesn't need to be a leader to function as one.
The thing with Warner is that he is a tough nut and he doesn't crumble under pressure. Despite all the negativity, he came out roaring on the field and was quiet off it and Sunrisers reaped the rewards of it and Australia will soon by the look of it.
Smith, however, has been a different story.
The former Australia captain started the tournament poorly and was even dropped from the side but as the going got tough, he was drafted back in and handed the leadership role from Ajinkya Rahane and he has once again thrived under pressure and showed why he has been one of the best before the disastrous incident in March last year.
Smith's IPL has been average at best. He has scored 319 runs from 12 matches at an average of 39.87. But, Smith has scored four fifties and played some crucial knock as Rajasthan recovered from a slump to keep going for a playoffs spot.
The 29-year-old has been half has fluent as Warner but he has taken responsibility of the side and led from the front. The flair returned and so did the belief in the RR camp and that is perhaps what will go on to the Australian camp too. Unlike Rajasthan though, he won't be handed the captaincy but with Warner by his side and the experience of Aaron Finch, he could be the most important player as Australia look to defend their crown.
The duo as they leave the IPL have confidence behind their back and with them in the batting line-up, suddenly make Australia a completely different team altogether.
Their return wasn't easy and it was a long road for two the games finest players but in the IPL, they have showed that you can keep warriors down but never count them out and as the biggest showcase of cricket arrives, the two will again be out there, looking to show the world this time what they are made of and it will be a sight to cherish.
