(Image: ICC)
Australian cricketers are usually not known to show excessive emotions around retirement time. There is a difference, this time, however, as the dramatis personae in question happens to be David Warner.
A series against Pakistan down under may no longer leave fans giddy with excitement, given the current standard of cricket in a country where politics and non-performance have badly hit a side that were once standard-bearers for Asia.
But whatever be Pakistan cricket’s travails, this series is all about what Warner will do in the three Tests he plays. Will there be emotion? Yes, definitely, going by the build-up now seen on mainstream and social media.
By nature, the Aussies are fun-loving people, who indulge in banter, and crack plenty of jokes. That Warner has himself been subjected to ridicule is a tad sad, for he has delivered for his country with patience and panache.
There are various types of cricketers the world over. What makes Warner so special is that he is a man apart. His batting defies convention, his strokeplay is audacious, though some might not authentic! Yet, deep down, without going too much into the statistics, Warner is one hell of an entertainer.
For someone who was thought to be a misfit for red-ball cricket, viewed as the sport’s pinnacle, he has really proved the doubters wrong. At a time when we talk of all-format players, Warner has defined it. He has not made many changes, really, for each format.
The world has watched him deliver, punching like a heavyweight boxer, and scoring runs in tons. Deep down, very much a family man, these last Tests will be intensely emotional – as when Adam Gilchrist called it quits in 2008.
For the master batter that Warner has been, the Sydney crescendo in the finale should be a bit like the opera that the city is famous for. There have been many questions asked on social media who will replace Warner after this series in the Test format. For the time being, he has turned a whole series into a personal affair. That, in itself, speaks volumes about the man and his presence.
Fans in India have seen Warner in full bloom many times. As a winning member of the World Cup-winning team in Ahmedabad on November 19, 2023, Warner’s presence was unmistakable. He may not have scored in every match, but even a cursory look at the numbers would tell you that he is certainly not an average player.
He is a team guy, someone loved, with Pat Cummins now fully supporting him even as a former teammate has rubbed Warner the wrong way. Agreed, Warner was part of the infamous Sandpapergate incident, but by and large, Australian cricket has moved on from that.
One of his regrets will be that he did not captain Australia in Test cricket. But then you need not be captain to be a leader. And he is one.
Here is @davidwarner31 on his leadership philosophy. @CandiceWarner31 @RevSportz https://t.co/AAarpt0WXI
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) December 12, 2023
Nobody is perfect. Warner has been both human and humane. Sandpapergate was ugly, but lies well in the past. Recent memories of Warner for Indian fans centre on how he has lit up the Indian Premier League repeatedly with 5449 runs to his credit. He has been part of the Delhi and Hyderabad franchises.
Those who have watched him in the IPL will attest to his destructiveness, which borders on the brutal. As he signs off from Tests at home, one hopes he will again showcase that brute force and score runs. His job as an opener has always been to attack. When he lays down arms (his bat) in Tests, bowlers around the world will heave a collective sigh of relief.
But first, there are three more Tests to go!
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