Ball-Tampering, was a term that haunted David Warner every second of his life since the one year ban from international cricket. It’s a term he won’t forget. And shouldn’t.
Just as he shouldn’t forget the beautiful moment when he reached the one milestone most Test batsmen love to play for with only a few succeeding. David Warner’s comeback deserves our respect.
David Warner’s comeback, amplified by a glorious triple century warrants respect even from his worst critics.
Importantly, David Warner’s comeback has lessons not only for those who have found themselves down in the dumps but for those who are willing to embrace the challenge that is international cricket.
Former vice-captain Warner, Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft faced a lot of heat during the tough times. Safe to say, David Warner, can now put it behind him and continue to pile up the runs.
But important to know that during his worst time, he was alone, and sad by himself.
We all saw left-handed opener swinging imaginary blade in the streets of Sydney.
On 29 March 2019, the 12 months ban ended and the hungry lion announced he was back with a bang.
David Warner scored 85 off just 53 deliveries against KKR in IPL 2018.
Good things started knocking the Australian Cricketer’s doors as the former Captain, Vice-Captain named in the 2019 50-Over World Cup squad.
Warner left no stone unturned in lifting the trophy again for the defending champions, scored 647 runs in 10 matched averaging 71.88. But hosts ended the journey of Aussies in the semi-final of CWC 2019 and later became the Champions.
Australians got another chance to take the revenge back of the WC semi-final defeat.
Steven Smith turned the tables for OZs, smashed back-to-back 100s that lead to retaining the Ashes for Australia. The OZ run-machine was just unstoppable in the tournament that ended with 2-2.
Steve Smith in Ashes 2019:
144, 142, 92, 211, 82, 80
Australian fans were expecting a similar kind of performance from the left-handed opener. The red ball didn’t favor Warner in the Ashes like the white ball in the World Cup.
Meanwhile, here is what David Warner managed in the very series that matters incredibly to both warring sides, a contest in which Smith’s mere style of leaving the ball made more headlines that Warner himself!
David Warner in Ashes 2019:
2, 8, 3, 5, 61, 0, 0, 0, 5
David Warner’s poor show with the bat was a bit of a surprise after smashing three hundreds leading to the second leading run-scorer in the WC tournament. The irony was that Smith smashed more boundaries than Warner’s total score in the Ashes with 3 fewer innings than the latter.
Surely, looking at these incredible numbers by his fellow compatriot (given how poorly David Warner himself fared) and someone alongside whom David Warner suffered, one cannot rule out the possibility that the pocket-dynamo would’ve wanted to burst out of his forgettable form.
And boy hasn’t he?
In fact, at this moment, it won’t be wrong to hail David Warner as a hero who rose from being a zero.
When you are cast aside in an institution that is Australian cricket, a team that has given a lot to the game it has decorated, it can take a while to come back.
So what a grand fashion in which to truly announce the comeback, importantly in a format all wish to succeed in. Isn’t it?
The Ashes horror for Warner ended with a Back-to-Back 100s and this time with the Red ball. Warner unsettled Pakistani bowling attack in the home test series.
1st Test against Pakistan at Brisbane
David did what all were expecting, smashed a ton in a style in front of the home crowd. Fiery, aggressive, yet focused- Warner was the main threat, at a time all eyes were on Smith to pluck the Pakistanis out of the Gabba.
The left-hander smashed 154 runs off just 296 balls at a strike rate of 52.03. In the powerful comeback innings, he hit 10 hours that led to an innings win for the hosts.
Marnus Labuschagne became the Man of the Match for his power innings of 185 that made Pakistani bowling attack clueless.
But for now, our thoughts and respect must remain with a man who has journeyed hell- in terms of the horror following the ball-tampering incident- and has just stepped a foot in cricketing heaven.
Who doesn’t want a Test triple hundred. In some ways, it separates the boys from the men.
The magnificent triple hundred will always pay testimony to the love the leftie has had for scoring big runs. The 335 will be etched in our minds as being central to David Warner’s comeback.
In fact, David Warner’s comeback tells us also about the resolve of the Australians. Never say die, as they say.
Well, if you strike a triple in Tests, aren’t you among the gods, charming around in heaven?
