Former Australian Test opener David Warner has been appointed as the new captain of Sydney Thunder in the upcoming 2024-25 Atlanta BBL season. The news caught up earlier in the day by confirming that Warner will be the New Captain of the team. He had previously been barred from leadership positions due to the ball tampering scandal that took place in South Africa during Australia’s tour in March 18′.
Weeks ago, Cricket Australia lifted it’s life ban slapped on Warner and the ex Australian Opening batsman is now poised to lead the Sydney based franchise.
David expressed his eagerness to don the captain’s hat once again when he said, “I think that returning to captain the Thunder this season is of great significance. I’ve been in the team since the beginning, and now getting this ‘C’ position feels great. I can’t wait to lead and impart my expertise to the youth coming up.”
38-year-old batter, in being one of the previous captains, acknowledged the influences of those who played the leadership roles on the team: “I also want to praise the leadership demonstrated by Greeny (Chris Green) in his playing days. He possesses great skills and great leadership ability. Also, Jason Sangha, prior to his injury. I learned a lot from both of them, and I understand they are individuals I can look to this season.”
It is a mixture of young and old therefore Warner is eager to take on the role of a mentor.
“One of the most exciting parts of this role is the chance to give back to the younger players, to pass on some of the knowledge I’ve gathered over the years. I want to help them grow so that one day, one of these young guns can step up and lead the team when I’m done.”
“We possess some very talented young recruits in the form of Ollie Davies, Jason Sangha, and Sam Konstas. They are very brave and have an outstanding amount of talent. I want to support them in their growth and understanding of the game, and eventually, equip them with the right tools to excel in the BBL and the world outside,” he said.
In BBL 2024-25, Thunder will kick start the season on December 17, in Canberra, against the Adelaide Strikers.
Sydney Thunder squad for BBL 2024-25: David Warner (C), Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings, Oliver Davies, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Sherfane Rutherford, William Salzmann, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha
