Warner’s plans depend on runs in tests in England

Through 25 Test centuries since his debut against New Zealand at the Gabba in 2011, David Warner’s swashbuckling stroke play and competitive drive have thrilled Aussie cricket fans. He shamed us, along with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, in Cape Town with the Sandpapergate scandal in 2018, and paid the price. We welcomed him back, holding our collective breath when he struggled to make runs, and cheering when he returned to form, especially in last year’s Boxing Day Test at the MCG against South Africa. He was in the middle of a bad form slump when he pounded out a double century in blistering heat. It was his 100th Test match.

At 36, Warner’s announcement that next year’s Test against Pakistan at his home ground, the SCG, will be his last makes sense, with a dash of Warneresque cheek. “Old mate is being a bit optimistic there,’’ Will Swanton writes. “His plans sound more like a plea. Or a dare. A goading of selectors. He’ll surpass present expectations if he has a gig after the first two Ashes Tests.’’

England has never been his best stamping ground, especially against his nemesis, English paceman Stuart Broad, also 36. Broad dismissed Warner seven times in 10 innings in the 2019 Ashes, in a head-to-head domination rarely seen at Test level. Warner only once passed 11 in an innings.

But before he fronts up to Broad again – if the English select him, as Warner says with a slice of gamesmanship – he has to open the batting against India at The Oval on Wednesday in the ICC World Test championship. So for now, Warner says, “Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur are probably on my mind first”. A great deal of pride will be at stake between the world’s best cricket teams.

Then comes the first Ashes Test on June 16 at Edgbaston and the second at Lord’s from June 28. For Aussie sports fans, long winter nights are on the way watching what we hope will be a thrilling Test series. We wish Warner enough success over the English summer to allow his retirement to unfold as he hopes, before he takes to the commentary box, where his provocative style should be a hit. He says he is in “superb’’ form and “can’t wait to get out there’’. But as he also says: “You’ve got to score runs.’’