David Warner all set to debut in CPL as he attempts to rebuild his career post ban

Australian batsman David Warner has been signed by the St. Lucia Stars team for the upcoming edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the West Indian club announced on Saturday.

The team has called up Warner to replace fellow Australian big-hitter D'Arcy Short. Short has been selected for Australia A's tour of India which will clash with the CPL.

"We are excited to bring David to the Saint Lucia Stars. David is arguably one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era and a winning player," Stars General Manager Mohammad Khan was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

The former vice-captain of the Australian team was handed a 12-month ban for his role in the Cape Town test ball-tampering scandal. The incident also led to suspensions for captain Steve Smith and opener Cameron Bancroft. Coach Darren Lehman also stepped down, accepting his role in the incident.

Both Smith and Warner are scheduled to make their return to competitive cricket in Canada's inaugural Global T20 tournament. Warner has been signed by the Winnipeg Hawks while Smith will represent the Toronto Nationals.

The duo's suspension is limited to representing Australia and domestic competitions within the country, they are free to participate in domestic competitions outside the control of Cricket Australia (CA).

All three players have since apologised for their involvement that marked a dark time for Australian cricket during their tour to South Africa last year. Both Smith and Warner broke down during their emotional press conferences, that became a big talking point amongst cricketers.

Following the ban by the CA, the duo was also banned from the Indian Premier League. While some cricketers spoke out in support of Warner and Smith, several former Australian players lashed out at the culture of Australian cricket that led to the incident.

The month-long CPL will also feature other Australians like all-rounder Shane Watson and Chris Lynn. It is scheduled to begin on August 8 and features six teams.

[With inputs from IANS]