David Warner is a generational talent but he didn’t get where he is today on his own

Back in 2007 a raw batsman and untried coach connected at NSW and blew cricket’s old-school defence-first template to smithereens. Thirteen years on and the Trent Woodhill-David Warner partnership is as strong as ever.

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David Warner was unable to turn to the one man he has counted on most during the worst runs crisis of his career in last year’s Ashes.

Personal batting coach Trent Woodhill was helping set up ‘The Hundred’ league and felt it would’ve been a poor look to help polish Australia’s top-order jewel while he was getting paid by the ECB.

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But Woodhill – who acts as the ‘Whatsapp Whisperer’ for greats including Steve Smith, who he had a hit with before last year’s World Cup, and Kane Williamson – has helped set Warner on the path to stardom since they met in 2007.

David Warner is one of the most explosive opening batsmen the game has ever witnessed.

Back then a raw batsman and untried coach connected at NSW and blew cricket’s old-school defence-first template to smithereens.

“We worked on, not short balls specifically, but the top of off stump,” Woodhill said.

“Dominating the top of off stump – but not dominating through defence and technique, through destroying it.

“So if anyone bowled top of off stump to David Warner they were going to get smashed.”

That lesson helped turbocharge Woodhill into franchise cricket. In 2009, Delhi’s investment in Warner meant they also wanted to invest in his batting coach.

“I ended up quitting (NSW) and did Delhi for five years,” Woodhill, 49, said.

Trent Woodhill offers batting advice to Warner, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, among others.

“Through doing Delhi I met Dan Vettori who said, ‘We want you to come work for New Zealand’.”

Woodhill then spent two-and-a-half years with the Black Caps and then followed Vettori to Royal Challengers Bangalore.

In the Big Bash he has run list management at Melbourne Stars, putting together rosters that have reached three Grand Finals.

But it is Project Warner that Woodhill is most famous for, and Stars will target Warner for next summer.

“I was disappointed he didn’t get to bat to 400 (in the Adelaide Test),” Woodhill said, albeit adding Tim Paine got his declaration right.

Woodhill was happy to see Warner claim one of the two highest scores ever by an Australian.

“But I’m so glad he went past 334, because David and Matthew Hayden are Australia’s standout openers and they deserve to hold the two highest individual scores.”

After Warner’s nightmare Ashes – he averaged 9.5 and fell to Stuart Broad seven times – the pair spoke “four or five times” every day.

“During the Ashes he was doing things I didn’t want him to do, through other people trying to help – not trying to hinder – trying to help, but no one helps him better than I do,” Woodhill said.

“That’s not arrogance, that’s just a fact.

“Once he’s right it’s about me staying out of his way. He just needs to bubble along, and if there’s a chink and something goes down then we need to make sure others don’t take him off track.

That Warner’s Ashes troubles came about when denied Woodhill’s advice is no coincidence.

“The next big thing in cricket is, if I’m Kings XI Punjab and I’m spending $2.2 million on Maxi, I’m getting the person that’s going to make Maxi.

“Same with Stoin. Stoin’s been on record saying I’ve been helping him, so if I’m Delhi I’m going, ‘Well, Trent, we need you’.

“But arrogantly we’re still in the phase where others feel they can do a better job, when they haven’t got a track record of doing it.”

Originally published as David Warner is a generational talent but he didn’t get where he is today on his own