January 18, 2009.
David Warner introduced himself to the world of cricket with an unforgettable T20I debut, scoring 89 (43) against South Africa in front of 62,148 at the MCG. The lefty, who had yet to make his first-class debut, treated the world-class Proteas attack with disrespect, repeatedly pummeling Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn over the half-wicket boundary.
Warner was instantly designated as a white-ball specialist, an emerging gimmick, but 99 Test matches later, he is poised to join cricket royalty having cemented his status as one of Australia’s best Test openers.
And how fitting that their historic 100th Test match is taking place at the same venue, and against the same opposition, that cricket fans got their first glimpse of The Bull.
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Warner reflects on 100th test milestone | 02:51
On Monday, Warner will become the 14th Australian to play a century of Test matches, but irrefutably the most polarizing figure to reach the milestone.
The New South Welshman is just 78 races away from 8000 Test races, at which point he will become the eighth Australian to achieve the feat. Meanwhile, only four openers in Test history boast more centuries than Warner.
Perhaps Warner’s most impressive achievement is becoming the first bona fide superstar across all three of the game’s formats. She has been dominant in Australian whites and canary yellows for the better part of a decade, which is quickly proving difficult for other modern greats, such as Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes.
Juggling all three formats is nearing an impossibility due to relentless scheduling and workload management, but Warner found a way.
After his epic T20I debut in 2009, Warner was unfairly typecast as a T20 mercenary, a cricketer who would survive thanks to Indian Premier League contracts and endorsement deals.
New South Wales was reluctant to select him for the Sheffield Shield side, reluctantly placing him in the mid-order when others were unavailable.
But Warner always wanted to earn a baggy green. He could have easily become the poster boy for T20 cricket, but Test matches were the endgame.
Having already established himself as a budding superstar in Australia’s white ball teams, Warner turned heads during an Australia A tour of Zimbabwe in 2011, looting 666 runs at 74.00, including three centuries.
Later that year, a hamstring injury to Shane Watson opened the door for Warner to make his Test debut against New Zealand at the Gabba.
Warner silenced his disbelievers a week later, carrying his bat through the fourth innings of a Test match – an incredibly rare feat only two Australians had previously achieved – in a green closer at Bellerive Oval, scoring an unbeaten 123 to put Australia into the lead. hand reach. a thrilling victory against the Black Caps.
His first Test century showed he was ready for the challenges of five-day cricket, but his second won the Australian public.
Warner’s 69-ball hundred against India in the WACA in January 2012 was the fastest century for a first match in Test history. Playing in only his fifth Test match, Warner taunted India’s bowling attack by finishing the first day unbeaten on 104 from 84 deliveries, having come out to bat just 90 minutes earlier.
He was quick to draw comparisons to Indian legend Virender Sehwag, who three years earlier had predicted that Warner would be a better Test cricketer than a T20 player.
Cricket Australia briefly suspended Warner in 2013 after an alleged falling-out with England batsman Joe Root, but he was brought back to the team after collecting massive scores during an Australia A tour of South Africa.
And after returning home for the 2013/14 cricket summer, Warner was unstoppable. During a remarkable run of 27 Tests between 2013 and 2016, he scored 3066 runs at 62.60 at a strike rate of 81.50. This golden run featured an Ashes whitewash, a World Cup triumph and a first double century against New Zealand in the WACA.
Unlike many leadoff hitters, Warner does not have a signature shot. He is capable of scoring in all corners of the field. A natural attacker, he can demoralize the opposition in a matter of overs, which has been invaluable for the Australian Test side.
Of the 15 Australian cricketers to have scored at least 6000 Test runs, Warner’s career hit rate of 71.18 is comfortably the highest.
Warner’s mental toughness was tested to the limit in December 2014, scoring two centuries against India at the Adelaide Oval in Australia’s first Test match since the death of Phil Hughes.
Warner had held Hughes’s hand in the medical taxi as he approached the SCG’s boundary line a couple of weeks earlier. A few days after the funeral, she broke down in tears during a routine networking session.
On the first day of the emotional Adelaide Test, Warner paused and looked heavenward after passing 63 in the first innings, acknowledging his former Test opening partner. It is the defining moment of his professional career.
What is sometimes forgotten about that Test match was Warner’s subtle homage to his New South Wales teammate Sean Abbott, the pitcher of the fatal delivery that hit Hughes in the neck. In his first Sheffield Shield match after Hughes’ death, Abbott posted a career best 6-14 against Queensland at the SCG. When the news was broadcast on the giant screen at Adelaide Oval, Warner took off his gloves and applauded from across the country.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Warner’s Test career has been the lack of reliable opening partners. While Aaron Finch has accompanied Warner at the top of the order on most of his cue ball breaks, 14 different opening batsmen have come through the Test side.
Candidates varied in success, but Chris Rogers was certainly the cream of the crop, combining with Warner for 2053 Tests at 51.32.
They complemented each other perfectly and it took Australia more than six years to find a worthy replacement for Rogers after he retired.
After being promoted to vice-captain in 2015, Warner became the Australian team’s “attack dog” on the pitch, yelling at the opposition and hurling insults where he saw fit.
His behavior on the field crossed the lines of what was considered proper conduct, isolating fans and damaging the team’s reputation through antagonism.
This hostile approach, combined with an unhealthy win-at-all-cost mentality, led to the 2018 ball-tampering saga, where Warner was found to have helped formulate an illegal ploy to tamper with the game ball status.
He became the center of a worldwide sports controversy, withdrew from the sport for 12 months and received a lifetime leadership ban. Some questioned if he would ever return.
But Warner’s absence only emphasized his importance to the Test team. Australia struggled without him at the top of the order, with the irreplaceable starter returning to the side once 12 months had passed.
He was a reformed cricketer with a point to prove. Warner’s return was headlined by a record triple century against Pakistan at Adelaide Oval, scoring an unbeaten 335 to eclipse Sir Donald Bradman and Mark Taylor.
It immediately became apparent that Warner was one of Australia’s all-time greats. A few months later, he received a third Allan Border Medal. complete redemption.
Despite all his successes and accolades, some cricket fans will never forgive Warner for what happened in Cape Town. In his eyes, he will always be a cheat, unworthy of the prized baggy green.
The court of public opinion is sometimes cruel and unfair, but no one can deny that Warner is an amazing talent, the likes of which we may not see again for decades to come. His legacy is complicated. A trailblazer, a villain, a cheerleader, a cautionary tale, a sports hero. All previous.
However, the celebrations leading up to Warner’s 100th Test have been overshadowed by rumors about his future in the Test team. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 36-year-old has averaged 26.07 in 15 games without a century to his credit.
With tours of India and England on the horizon, two nations where Warner has struggled with the bat, speculation about his retirement has grown fierce.
“I’m as excited as ever to be back here and play another Boxing Day test,” Warner told reporters at the MCG on Christmas Eve.
“Yes, my back is against the wall, but it is in my DNA to remain competitive, and to come here and put a smile on my face and take on any opposition that I face.
“For me it’s about keeping my mind clear and making sure I don’t deviate from my game plan. Nothing has really changed in my game, it’s just a change of fortune (which is necessary) and a bit of luck, and hopefully the races can come out this Boxing Day.”
The second Test between Australia and South Africa begins at the MCG on Monday morning with the first installment scheduled for 10:30am AEDT.
