As Australian cricket fans eagerly anticipate David Warner’s final Test appearance in the AUS vs PAK 3rd Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the veteran opener has disclosed a significant revelation. Warner shared that he had contemplated walking away from Test cricket after the second match of last year’s Ashes series at Lord’s if his performance had not improved.
“I said quite clearly in England before the World Test Championship, there was a lot of talk about me and my form, [and] I wanted to nip it in the bud early, I said my ideal preparation to finish would be Sydney,” Warner said on Monday. “But I actually had Lord’s penciled in as my last Test, especially if I didn’t go as well as I did as a partnership with Uzzie [Usman Khawaja] at the top of the order.” said Warner.
David Warner shines in Ashes
Before the England tour and the World Test Championship final against India, Warner had outlined his ambition to retire during the Sydney Test. However, he acknowledged that form would play a crucial role in determining the timing of his retirement. On the eve of his farewell Test against Pakistan, Warner elaborated on how Lord’s could have marked his farewell if he felt he wasn’t contributing positively to the team.
Then from there it just followed on that we played some good innings together. I didn’t have that hundred [in England] that I always wanted but eluded me. But as a team and as a whole we did our bit, so to get this ending is awesome, but it’s not about me, it’s about us. We’ve won the series, but to win 3-0 and have a whitewash here at the SCG would be a great thing for the team.”
Fortunately for Warner and Australian cricket, events unfolded differently. Despite a challenging second day in the WTC final at The Oval, where he scored only 1, Warner’s impactful 43 on the first day contributed to Australia’s victory over India. Subsequently, he played a crucial role in the Ashes series, making vital contributions, including a notable 66 on the opening day at Lord’s in challenging batting conditions.
If you’re down 2-0, and you go into that third one, and you lose that, I don’t think it’s the right choice to make [to keep playing]. It’s an easy exit,” he said. “For me, a second [reason] was if I was failing and we hadn’t won, then it would have been an easier decision.
“I didn’t want to put the team or the selectors in a position where they had to think about, ‘mate, it’s time to push on’. It was more about me just going, ‘I’m content with that. I’m happy with it, I’ve had a great career’. But if I could still do my best and bat well with Uzzie and put us into a good position…I could do that for the rest of the series.”
A partnership with Usman Khawaja to remember:
Over the first two Ashes Tests, Warner formed three half-century partnerships with Usman Khawaja. His contributions continued in the final match of the series at The Oval, where he notched another half-century and shared a partnership of 140 with Khawaja. Warner carried his form into the home season, opening with a remarkable 164 against Pakistan in the opening Test in Perth.
“When I looked at Lord’s as a potential finish, I didn’t really have many emotions because I was content,” he said. “I might not have been scoring runs, but I still had the desire to play Test cricket. I love the game of cricket, it doesn’t matter what format I’m playing. But definitely, it’s been emotional since Perth, since I’ve been back in Australia and knowing that I’m playing [my final Test].
“Getting that 160, putting us into a great position for the team, it hit home when people in the streets were coming up and saying, ‘well done, we support you, we back you’. It really means a lot. The emotions probably started then.”
Despite any doubts over his ability, Warner emphasized that his decisions were always centred on what would be best for the team. As the emotions surrounding the conclusion of his Test career intensify in the wake of the series against Pakistan, Warner’s final Test is poised to be a poignant moment in Australian cricket history.
David Warner retires from ODI:
Days before his final Test at the SCG, David Warner announced his retirement from One Day Internationals (ODIs). The World Cup 2023 victory marked the end of the southpaw’s ODI career.
David Warner Stats
David Warner played 152 matches for Australia, making 6451 runs at an average of 44.79 and a strike rate of 96.11.
In his 150 innings, Warner has 20 centuries and 31 fifties. The opener scores 50 or more runs in every third inning he plays and has a conversion rate of 39%.
The batter is also the 8th highest run-getter for Australia in ODIs and number one among active run-getters for Australia in ODIs.
Warner is just behind Adam Gilchirst (9200 runs) when it comes to Australian openers with the most runs in ODIs.
