David Warner has been a popular favourite for much of his career, being credited as the most exciting opener since the retirement of modern greats like Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden. Never has a modern player so excited the masses with his larrikin spirit and boundless enthusiasm for teammates, rapid running between wickets and ability to sneak quick singles. His superb maiden century versus New Zealand in Hobart on a difficult and very seamer-friendly pitch obscured the anti-climax that was to come: For much of his early career where exceedingly flat wickets with almost no bowler assistance enabled even rookie batsmen to amass mammoth scores that triggered comparisons to batting greats Warner thrived and purists were ignored. There were flashes of true brilliance overseas, such as in South Africa and his two centuries in consecutive innings in Bangladesh, but any brilliance he possessed was reserved for Australia. Only 6 of 26 centuries were scored overseas, his ability to play spin in subcontinental conditions, save for his efforts versus Bangladesh often triggered questions and his notable struggles versus the swing of Stuart Broad did regrettably qualify as examples of technical vulnerability and susceptibility.
Warner admirers and cricket thinkers correctly identify that many batsmen and bowlers are not the same performers in foreign as domestic conditions, but regrettably while there were rare exceptional innings mentioned above it is true that Warner was consistently reliable only in Australian conditions and many praises of his achievements abroad reflected foreign, particularly subcontinental enthusiasm for the shorter forms. While playing for his two Indian franchises Delhi and Hyderabad respective batting coaches Ponting and VVS Laxman, who being notable masters of batting technique during their careers made Warner more technically minded which became evident in the final and arguably best phase of his international career.
Arguably the best Warner career phase came in the last half, with his record 335 not out versus Pakistan and his 200 versus South Africa. The 200 versus South Africa garnered in crippling humidity was a great exhibition of punishing errant length on a pitch that was suited to seam bowling but was merciless on indiscipline. The extreme weather made champion pacers Kagiso Rabada and Lungisani Ngidi look ordinary, and Warner had developed sufficient technique to impressively withstand it. The South African fast bowling duo had who troubled Warner even in Australan conditions, including in the previous Brisbane Test. On that notable occasion Rabada dismissed Warner for two single figure scores, 0 and 3 hence his double century in the following game was a superb improvement, but even then, his dismissal to Nortje demonstrated his vulnerability to quality fast-bowling. There was, however, a marked improvement in this final phase of strokeplay, his drives did become more classical and aesthetic, he did learn to use his feet to get to the pitch of the ball against spinners. Most importantly, he did learn the value of percentage plays and accumulation: He learned to value boundary opportunities, playing late, quick singles and maximising scoring while running between wickets, he became more a batter and less a hitter. He became less reckless and impulsive, a better accumulator and a far better exploiter of errant length, while his strike rate declined slightly his reliability and match awareness improved markedly, he became technical, and selective rather than impulsive. Never a self-centred player the resounding criticism that can be made is that professional maturity was a gradual process and he perhaps compensated in the phase beginning with his 335 not out for being the proverbial “fish out of water” or more appropriately the T20 batter who was elevated or prematurely graduated to Test opener. His professional maturity took time hence a brief mention of the regrettable “Sandpapergate Affair” is necessary.
During the third Test in Cape Town in 2018 David Warner was among three players implicated in a ball tampering scandal, in which Captain Steve Smith, Bancroft and Warner attempted to alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper. All three were suspended in disgrace, banned for a year and subject to media attention. Initially manifesting as a proverbial circus, with footage of players and their partners crying or looking sombre during interviews and then as the end of the ban drew near footage of them socialising was constant and monotonous. It is plausible that had the media attention focused more on their careers and abilities and less about their marketing, their maturity levels might have transcended to their careers earlier. Evidence of this was that Warner was a much-improved player after his unwanted pariah status, here he can be compared to Botham and Warne as falling from grace turned egoism to professionalism.
The question of whether Warner is a great of the game will be perpetually obscured by the fact that his career coincided with arguably the greatest transition in cricketing history since World Series Cricket. That he set and broke records in all three formats has much to do with him being among the first to play all such formats. It is very difficult as Warner debuted for Australia prior to having acquired any first-class experience, as such his technical acumen was acquired via experience, namely “on the job” Regrettably, as he came up while superb technical players like Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey he must inevitably be judged by classical standards when it is considered that an equally modern player like Khawaja mastered classical technique on quick and slow surfaces. As he must be judged by classical and traditional standards his career was disappointing on many levels, that he became technically proficient if not superlative proves he could and should have been a great and it must be said he became synonymous with the modern game. It is not so disrespectful to say that while he was largely responsible for its excitement and entertainment value, he was also guilty of much of its deficiency, flaws he corrected. Hence while he deserves a subchapter in Australian cricketing annals, we must not confuse chronology and historical circumstance with greatness, nor should we forget, that players can be underprepared or past their peak. Michael Hussey debuted at 30 and could have debuted earlier; Warner debuted in the Australian T20 team a month before his first-class debut. His career should be a cautionary tale against international duties coming too soon as a few seasons of solid first-class experience, would have ensured he became the player he did several seasons earlier.
Rob's Ramblings 