Under-fire Australia batsman David Warner has decided to play the patience game in a bid to overcome his lean patch in ongoing Test series against India. The left-handed batsman, who was termed as a potent threat by India’a ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin before the start of the series, hasn’t done much damage with the willow till now. In six innings, Warner has scored just 131 runs at an average of 21.83.
Apart from him, almost everyone has played an innings to talk about. Captain Steven Smith has led from the front with the bat, whereas rookie batsman Matt Renshaw has almost 90 more runs than his opening partner. Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb, who were quiet for five innings, unearthed resilient knocks on Day 5 of the Ranchi Test to salvage a draw for the visitors.
Post the match, the pocket-sized dynamite said everyone goes through a rough patch and gets over it eventually. He said he isn’t going to make any changes to his practice routine, and believes patience is something he needs to keep if he seeks a way out from such a form.
“Everyone in world cricket, greats and legends of the game, they’ve had some form slumps and that’s just the game of cricket. It will turn around. I just have to keep being disciplined and making sure that my preparation is still the same. I’ve just got to come out and keep playing the way that I know best. I couldn’t be hitting the ball any better but it’s just that the runs aren’t coming.”
In the recently concluded Test, Warner scored 19 & 14 in both innings and was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja on both instances. In the first innings, he offered a sitter to the all-rounder on a full-toss and in the next one, he was baffled by a nearly unplayable delivery from him.
Talking about his the dismissals, Warner seemed unhappy with his shot selection and hopes he doesn’t embarrass himself by playing them again.
“It’s a patience game here. To get out like that (to Jadeja) was quite frustrating. It’s quite challenging to play the way I do when the ball is up and down or it’s not really coming onto the bat.”