Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis has signed to play for Durban’s Super Giants, the affiliate of his IPL club Lucknow. Stoinis is comfortable with being left out of Australia’s ODI squad to face West Indies after speaking regularly to the selectors for six months, but still hopes to be part of the T20 World Cup campaign. Stoinis had known for some time he would not be part of Australia’s first bilateral ODI squad after the World Cup but is not retiring from ODI cricket and is still preparing himself to be part of the T20 squad in the build-up to June’s World Cup. Even prior to missing out on selection in the XI for the ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad, Stoinis had been talking regularly with coach Andrew McDonald and chair of selectors George Bailey about what the transition period would look like for Australia’s one-day team. Stoinis’ omission gives him the chance to play more franchise cricket in South Africa after the BBL, before he hopes being part of the T20I series against West Indies and New Zealand later in February. Durban’s Super Giants start their SA20 season on January 12. If Stars don’t make the finals, Stoinis could be available for as many as seven SA20 games or as few as four if Stars reach the BBL decider on January 24. But he will still be available, and is hoping to be selected, for Australia’s three-match T20I series against West Indies in Australia starting on February 9, which would rule him out of the SA20 finals which run from February 7 until February 11. The club versus country debate continues to rage in Australia with David Warner likely to be recalled from the ILT20 for the same T20I series against West Indies. Stoinis believes the understanding between the players and CA on franchise cricket is very strong. Stoinis appeared in two Sheffield Shield matches for Western Australia last February after returning from the ILT20 and has not ruled out playing more first-class cricket, despite just two appearances in four years, although he is unlikely to be available to do so this summer.
