Former Australia captain Greg Chappell lauded veteran opener David Warner for his contribution to Australian cricket ahead of his farewell test match. The 37-year-old will retire from Test cricket after the Pakistan Test series and will play his final Test match at his home ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground, starting on January 3.
David Warner has been a regular member of the Test squad since his debut in 2011 and has contributed immensely to Australian cricket in all three formats of the game. He will retire with over 8000 Test runs at an average of more than 45, with a best score of 335*.
In his column for the Sydney Morning Herald, former Australian captain Greg Chappell praised David Warner as the second most devastating opener in modern history, trailing only India’s Virender Sehwag.
Warner has scored 8695 runs from 111 Test matches at an incredible strike rate of 70.3. Chappell urged the Australian selectors to find a proper replacement for Warner, given his incredible hitting skillset at the top of the order.
“David will never live down the ‘Sandpaper Gate’ incident. That scar on Australian cricket needs to be owned by a lot more people than Warner and Bancroft. Warner’s role in the success of Australian cricket during his time cannot be underestimated. In the modern era, only Virender Sehwag has been more damaging than Warner as an opener.”
“The impact of a destructive opener can never be overestimated, and I strongly believe that the selectors must look for someone with similar abilities to replace Warner or risk giving away the unique advantage that Australia has enjoyed for the past decade,” Greg Chappell said.
Despite concerns about his form due to a lack of Test runs, Warner delivered a quickfire 164 in the first innings of the first Test in Perth. This performance dispelled any reservations about his place in the team as Australia won the game by 360 runs.
Pat Cummins delivered a man-of-the-match performance to secure the second Test in Melbourne last week, with the captain picking up 10 wickets as Pakistan fell by 79 runs in four days.
I Hope Sydney Farewells David Warner Fondly Next Week – Greg Chappell
Greg Chappell believes David Warner deserves farewell on his home soil to be remembered for his contributions to the game and praised the Australian opener for his passion, energy, and competition.
“I know how hard it is to do what he has done through 111 Tests, so I hope that David’s harshest critics acknowledge his talent and contribution and forgive his human frailties. I hope Sydney farewells David Warner fondly next week. Whatever one thinks of him, David Warner has been fantastic for Australian cricket,” Greg Chappell added.
“The passion, energy, professionalism, and competitiveness that he has brought to every contest have been unmatched. He must accept that he has allowed himself to be portrayed in a certain manner,” Greg Chappell concluded.
David Warner is likely to miss the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies to make himself available for T20I League competition. The left-handed opener is all set to play in T20 competitions such as the Big Bash League and the International League T20 following his retirement from red-ball cricket.