Net bowler's head injury reminded David Warner of Phil Hughes incident

Australia's opening batsman David Warner gifts net bowler Jaykishan Plaha a team jersey signed by the players

Southampton: David Warner's return to international cricket after a year through suspension following the sandpaper scandal has been exceptional not just on the field, but off it as well.

The Aussie opener, who smashed his second century of the World Cup against Bangladesh on Thursday at Trent Bridge, has already notched up two half-centuries.

Off the field, Warner won hearts when he gifted a signed Australian team jersey to Jaykishan Plaha, a net bowler whom he injured at The Oval ahead of the India clash on June 9. Plaha said his head injury brought back memories of Phil Hughes to Warner.

Phil Hughes

"What happened was quite scary, getting hit on the head. It brought back memories of Phil Hughes to him. He gave me some encouraging words like I will come back stronger. I appreciated that and he has done a lot for me," he said.

Plaha, who plays club cricket in the Surrey league, was hit on the head during Australia's net session and was rushed to hospital. After he was discharged, the Australian team invited Plaha and his family for the match v Sri Lanka and gifted him an autographed jersey. The blow on the head has put Plaha out of game for nearly two months.

Warner did not just apologise to him, but also his mother Darshana. "He just turned around and told my mother how sorry he was for stopping me from playing cricket for a few weeks. My mom gave him a few blessings for a hundred. It is part of the game. When it happened, it was a big shock [for my family]. At the same time, when he apologised to my mum, it was quite heartwarming. I will remember this moment for a long time.

"It was the most touching moment for me. It was a good gesture again because he went out of his way to talk to my mum. One moment he is on the TV and here he was standing with us. It was very special," London-based Plaha, who has Indian roots, told mid-day. Last year, Plaha visited Mumbai to train under coach Vidya Paradkar at Mumbai's Cross Maidan.

"I was there for a few months. For three months, I trained at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket in Bangalore," he said. With the World Cup happening in England, Plaha was hoping to be a part of the event in some manner. He of course didn't know that it would be in this manner.

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