Senior Australian opener David Warner has announced his retirement from Tests and ODIs. However, he is all set to participate in his last Test against Pakistan at the SCG, beginning on January 3 as well. Ahead of this, he recalled his Test debut.
“I think I owe that to Greg Chappell, who showed belief and faith in my talent and ability and the way that I play the game. In Zimbabwe (on an Australia A tour in 2011) I’ve got a memory of him when I was 40 not out at lunchtime and he comes up to me and goes, ‘this innings will change your life if you score a hundred’. I went on to get 200 (211) and he told me, ‘I told you so’. I look back at that and they’re my fondest memories of how I started.
I got given the opportunity to open in one-day cricket through Dom Thornely (with NSW) … out of nowhere after that Zimbabwe series, I’m opening the batting for NSW. From there, it’s been quite surreal. I wouldn’t have ever imagined opening the batting for NSW or anyone when I first started. But to be here after 112 Tests and coming out for the last time, I’m still pinching myself,” he added.
He also expressed no guilt for the notorious ball-tampering scandal in the away Test series against South Africa in March 2018. He sees facing challenges as a normal part of a player’s career and asserts that he has consistently responded with dignity.
The experienced opener orchestrated the scandal, employing unfair tactics to secure victory in the Newlands Test against South Africa. Cameron Bancroft, who used sandpaper for reverse swing, received a nine-month ban from top-level cricket. Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner, both involved, were handed one-year bans and stripped of their leadership roles.
During a press conference on January 1, Warner recommended that athletes continue progressing despite obstacles, emphasizing that his love for the sport played a significant role in overcoming challenges. He stated, as reported by Nine.com.au:
“Reflecting on that, that whole period and my whole career, I’ve got no regrets. You’re going to have a lot of hurdles that you have to jump, there’s going to be obstacles along the way. But you have to move forward, and I’ve done that with dignity. I’ve got a lot of passion for the game, and it was important from my perspective that I’m giving back. Not just gaining the respect back, but putting Australian cricket first.”
The 37-year-old returned to elite cricket in IPL 2019, displaying no signs of inactivity. He scored several centuries for the SunRisers Hyderabad and continued his impressive form by accumulating 647 runs in the World Cup held in England.
David Warner reflects on the fallout from the ball-tampering saga
Warner indicated that his faith supported him during the suspension, and returning to grade cricket revitalized his sense of camaraderie in the sport. Additionally, he mentioned:
“When I left Africa the first five or six people who came up to me were priests, and gave me a card. Then we went on holiday to Singapore after that and there was a big church convention.”
“And I then sat back and spoke to (wife) Candice and said ‘someone is clearly watching down upon us.’ It just grew strength from there to go back and play grade cricket, get a sense of that cricket community belief back.”
The cricketer from New South Wales declared his retirement from One Day Internationals and is set to participate in his last Test against Pakistan at the SCG, beginning on January 3.
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