David Warner to miss part of ODI series against India for family duty

David Warner’s sensational hitting on the final day of the 3^rd Test between Australia and West Indies lit up the final stages of what had been a drab rain-drenched affair, but the opener himself is currently juggling between thoughts of cricket and his own family.

Warner and his wife are expecting a second child in the later half of January, and the opener’s preparations for the India series is shadowed by the thought that he might have to leave at a moment’s notice to be at his family’s service.

"Fingers crossed it comes when it's due, that's later towards the end of this month," he said about the baby after scoring the fastest SCG Test ton ever.

Warner and wife Candice already have a daughter named Ivy.

He said, "I'm just looking forward to playing the first couple of one-dayers and obviously I'll be by the phone waiting for that phone call.

"There's a red-eye (direct flight from Perth to Sydney).”

It looks likely at this stage, however, that he will not have to make the cross-country 4,000 kilometres trip, as the baby is not due till the later part of the series.

Shaun Marsh waits to replace Warner

At this stage, it is expected that Warner will take the field for the 1^st ODI at Perth on 12^th, and that the 2^nd ODI at Brisbane will feature him too. It is likely that he will miss the last three ODIs.

With Warner being only one of five specialist batsmen in the 13-man squad named for the series, it is possible that a replacement will be named as well. Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns are the favourites based on current form, but a recall for Shane Watson may be considered too. From among the squad, Kings XI star Shaun Marsh is on immediate standby for Warner.

Marsh had been given the Test snub last month just after he scored a career-high 182 against West Indies to make way for the returning Khawaja, but he has been in bristling form in the Big Bash League, and so has been rewarded with a place in the ODI squad.

It had earlier been speculated that Warner might be called upon to lead Australia in the India series, to give Steven Smith a rest. It could be possible that this arrangement was shot down because of Warner’s partial unavailability for the series.