Cricket To Bid Adieu To  The  Non-conformist, Free-Spirited, David Warner

My First Memories of David Warner

My first glimpse of David Warner was more than a decade ago when I saw him bat in a T20 match. He could hit the ball long with lots of power and was considered as Australia’s next big thing in limited overs cricket. The stocky left hander, strongly built, pummelled the ball with disdain. He played true to his reputation and there is no doubt that David Warner has played this way all his life.

Guidance from Sehwag

While playing for Delhi Daredevils ( now Delhi Capitals ) in the IPL, Warner received good guidance from Virendra Sehwag, which moulded his Test career. He brought his aggressive game to Test Cricket ( akin to Sehwag ) and established a new batting style in Tests. He has been a maverick and though he may not be in the mould of AB de Villiers, Warner developed his own range of shots. He was just tough to bowl to.

Warner’s Evolution 

Like any southpaw he was attractive to watch on the off side, playing some lovely drives and square cuts, but played his best with the pull and those powerful short-arm jabs. His strong forearms just belting the ball. Neither pace nor spin were deterrents to Warner and over the years both his back foot and front foot play improved by leaps and bounds. He seamlessly adapted to the new brand of cricket, playing switch hits and reverse sweeps with aplomb. 

Warner : Commitment Personified

David Warner, however, is not about skill alone. His commitment on the field has been exceptional. Even at 37, he is a true live wire. Apart from the runs he has scored for Australia, he must have saved a thousand too. His catching has been incredible, with some breathtaking takes in his career. I have hardly seen Warner drop a catch in all these years. There is no denying that  Warner’s intent and his zeal to win each time he takes the field is phenomenal. Once he dons his Baggy  Green, Warner is a tough cookie, a real hard competitor. No wonder whenever he comes onto the field, there is an expectation, there is a buzz, such has been his relationship with the crowd. 

Controversies and Dark Times

The flamboyance of Warner, his remarkable energy and the aura around him have been sometimes infringed with controversies the most serious one being the Sandpaper Gate Scandal in South Africa. Suspended from cricket and abolished from captaincy forever, it was probably the lowest moment in Warner’s career. But Warner, the tenacious, served his sentence in silence and emerged from the pits to entertain Cricket fans across the globe and reclaim his space in the sport. His stint at the helm of SRH in the IPL is a testament to Warner’s character. 

The Various Shades of A Sporting Icon 

I have always been an admirer of Warner’s free-spirited demeanour and though the scandal did upset me, I have moved on, like millions of Warner fans. But Warner has not been all that tough cookie also and has an emotional side too which came out in the open at the tragic passing away of compatriot and friend Phil Hughes. He scored a ton in the Test Match at Sydney post the demise of Hughes, dedicating the century to his friend as he raised his bat to the heavens. Warner touching  Hughes’ plaque while coming out to bat at Sydney has been a regular ritual for him, which is so touching. Even today when Warner walked out to bat in his farewell Test, he touched Phil Hughes’ plaque, hugged Usman Khawaja and crossed the line onto the field. 

David Warner has been a showman and a charismatic performer. It’s just that after 112 Test Matches, 26 hundreds, 8701 runs, at an average of 44.62, 161 ODIs, 22 hundreds, 6932 runs at an average of 45, 2 World Cups and umpteen match-winning knocks, his time has come to say Goodbye and bid adieu to the arena which he has ruled for so long.

Go Legend !!

Read Quick, Read Better @ rizkhan.in

Featured Image : David Warner in his trademark celebration.