He was chosen for selection despite not featuring in a single 50-over List A match since 2021, the year he famously struck twin centuries for Surrey in England’s Royal London Cup.
David has signed on for two more seasons with the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL but does not currently hold a state contract in Australia. He last played in Australia’s domestic One-Day Cup in November 2021 for Tasmania, and hasn’t had a formal state deal since being a rookie with Western Australia in 2017-18 before representing Singapore. He hasn’t played any List A 50-over game since his final ODI appearance in 2023.
With Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis stepping away from ODIs, Australia faces a challenge to rebuild its finishing options in a team set for a refresh over the next two years, especially after losing Steven Smith to retirement. David shared that he’s been in talks with his personal coaches about his future in the game, but returning to ODI cricket isn’t something he’s currently planning. I’m certainly talking with my coaches and the people I trust about how to improve my game .David said on Tuesday. “I honestly don’t know. It’s not really the plan right now. We have such a packed year heading into the T20 World Cup. This winter is looking very different for me. Normally I’d be away for four or five months playing in different leagues, but now we have so many T20 series that there’s little time to think about other formats. We’ll see how it goes, but at this stage there are no plans.”I’ve been having discussions with my coaches and trusted advisors about developing my game further. He has spent an uncommon stretch at home after injuring himself in the IPL, where he was a major contributor to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first title despite missing the playoffs.Initially, he had planned to return via the Global Super League for the Hurricanes starting Thursday, but his rehabilitation has taken slightly longer than hoped.Meanwhile, David won’t take part in The Hundred because it clashes with the South Africa series, but he is set to rejoin the Caribbean Premier League with St Lucia Kings.
Owen Gets His Chance
Mitchell Owen, who starred for the Hurricanes and delivered impressive performances in Major League Cricket for Washington Freedom, has joined David in the Caribbean and is in line for a T20I debut for Australia. I’m thrilled for him,” David remarked. “He’s performed brilliantly in the US. Everyone remembers his impact for the Hurricanes last season. This is a big opportunity for him—he’s showing real confidence. As a teammate, you just want to support and nurture that progress.”“Really excited for him,” David said. “He’s been playing excellent cricket in the US. It’s an exciting moment for him—he’s playing with confidence. Despite speculation during the BBL finals suggesting he might leave after not being among the ten pre-signed players before free agency, David said he was always committed to staying, even though finalising the deal took longer.“The biggest reason for the delay was the new ten-player rule, which added some complications since our ten spots were already full,” David explained. There was no uncertainty for me personally. Sure, there was some in the sense that media reports were saying I was leaving, and I was copping it a bit from the stands.That’s just the way things are sometimes. But I was always in clear contact with Cricket Tasmania and the Hurricanes. It was just a little annoying to see that story come up during the finals when it wasn’t true at all.
