Sydney: Cricket Australia (CA) has asked star all-rounder Shane Watson to return home from the Champions League Twenty20 amid fears of burnout in the lead-up to the Test series against South Africa, starting November 9.
CA chief James Sutherland said they were monitoring Watson’s fitness and workload. The all-rounder smashed 46 in Sydney Sixers’ win over Chennai Super Kings in the CLT20 in South Africa on Sunday.
“We are reviewing his load and circumstance very closely…I think it’s reasonably well known that it’s likely he won’t see the tournament out,” he said.
“We’re concerned about Shane. His injury record is unfortunate and what that tells us is that we need to monitor him and manage him very carefully and we are.”
Sutherland wants Watson to play a Shield game before the opening Test against the top-ranked Proteas in Brisbane. This means he will only be able to play three league games for the Sixers.
“I don’t know the specifics but the priority will be for him to get himself right as possible,” Sutherland said.
“That’s one, to give him a little bit of a break, then give him a little bit of therapy and whatever else he needs.
“But then also to really focus on getting him right to play Test cricket which he hasn’t played for a long time and give him the opportunity to play a Shield game and at least play with the red ball.
“He’s a fantastic player…he’s the sort of player who can win series and certainly win Test matches for Australia,” added Sutherland.
The Sixers currently top Group B and will face qualifiers Yorkshire on Tuesday, the same day that Chennai Super Kings take on Highveld Lions.
The Lions are second in the group on net run rate, with CSK at the bottom.
Mumbai Indians, in third place, play their next match on Thursday, also against Yorkshire.
Watson was, perhaps surprisingly, outdone against CSK by team mate Moises Henriques and the Sixers will be favourites against Yorkshire. (IANS)
