David Warner sent another emphatic message to Australian selectors with a terrific hundred against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.
The ton was Warner’s third consecutive score above 50 in recent matches, with scores of 85 and 69 preceding this knock. What has been so eye-catching about this new Warner has been the way that he has scored his runs.
Oft-regarded as a tremendously talented player, fans were often left to believe that a significant portion of Warner’s effectiveness lay in his brute strength.
Warner hasn’t lost much of that in his 12-month hiatus from top-level cricket, though he has looked a little within himself with his elbow injury probably playing a part.
He cleared the boundary five times and it was particularly pleasing to see that a number of these maximums – including a glorious six back over the head of Umesh Yadav – were not clubbed mercilessly to the fence, but rather were caressed with terrific timing.
Warner wasn’t just relying on his strength – he was playing really good shots to balls that weren’t that bad.
The five times he found the rope were just as pleasing on the eye.
We’d become accustomed to reading descriptions of Warner’s ‘crashing boundaries’, with the implication that they were largely a product of sheer strength such that the fielders couldn’t react fast enough.
The new Warner seemed to pierce the gaps in the manner and with the sort of precise timing that would make a purist salivate.
(Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty Images)
Maybe it’s maturity, maybe it’s the realisation of his own mortality brought on by the suspension, maybe it’s playing around his injury, but whatever it is, it’s really something to behold.
The other truly incredible thing about Warner’s knock was his running between the wickets.
Warner’s energy at the crease and quickness between the wickets could help him slot in at No.4 or No.5 at the World Cup.
In 40-degree heat, he hit 13 twos, and during fellow opener Jonny Bairstow’s innings, he ran another three three twos. He also hit 24 singles and ran 18 singles for Bairstow, meaning he sprinted the length of the pitch about 58 times for a total of 1160 metres.
Combine this with the style of his boundaries and it seems like post-suspension Warner is a much more canny cricketer than his predecessor.
He’s tactically astute, playing really good cricket shots, and his ability to find the gap and turn ones into twos with his running between the wickets is better than anyone in world cricket at the moment.
For me, perhaps the most important moment came in the post-match interview. When asked by Kevin Pietersen about his hundred, Warner merely smiled and instead offered praise of his fellow opener and sworn English enemy Jonny Bairstow.
David Warner is a changed man, and I say that after being a vocal critic over the last 12 months, believing he will never earn forgiveness from the Australian public.
The IPL is the best forum in which he can show that he’s changed.
He’s supporting the youngsters around him in Hyderabad, and was last night farming the strike to let the free-wheeling Bairstow keep hitting.
His local fans love him, with chants of “Warner! Warner!” ringing around the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium last night.
He couldn’t have been given a better stage if he’d tried.
These are not things that we expect from the usually fiery Warner, and it shows that he really is a new man.
The cynics will remain and say that he’s just putting it on, but as a wise man once said, if it walks like a duck, it looks like a duck, and it talks like a duck, then odds are that it’s a duck.
David Warner 2.0 is the real deal, and it’s time he was properly forgiven by the Australian public.
Indefatigable
Roar Rookie
If this is how he plays the abreviated form of the game, can't wait to see him dig in for a stretch in the long form.
Peter Warrington
Guest
Hohns and his mixed messages... from Nov 2016... "And Wade's combative nature, and superior ability with the bat to Nevill, gets him another crack at Test cricket after three and a half years in the wilderness. " 'We certainly are looking at players' characters and their toughness," Hohns said. "(Wade) is obviously seen as a tough competitor and that is what we're looking for in our players now."
Extra Short Leg
Roar Rookie
When Warner returned to Australia, after belting Joe Root, he played a Ryobi Cup game at Bankstown Oval. Warner sat amongst the kids, after failing with the bat, and signed anything they wanted, for as long as it took. Wade, on the other hand, refused to come down from the top deck of the pavilion, and ignored every kid there.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
'It’s clear that something or someone got under his skin in South Africa' Hmm what could it have been? Maybe the entire crowd including officials having a go at his wife? Might be just enough to make you want to win at any cost
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
So he doesn't sledge anymore?
Oscar Samios
Roar Rookie
I think those people were saying so on principled grounds. What Warner did was morally reprehensible, and based on what we'd previously seen of David Warner there was no way we thought he could change. Smith and Bancroft showed genuine remorse, but all that we'd ever seen from Warner was him being the 'attack dog'. He's shown a different side now, and on those grounds I'm prepared to offer him forgiveness. When he does return, he'll be on very thin ice for a while, but if we're serious about those punishments meaning anything, then once the bans have been served we ought to be able to give them a fresh start
Jack
Roar Rookie
He has always been a brilliant player. Just wonder if his team is not performing how desperate will he be and what will he do to win.
VivGilchrist
Roar Rookie
British tabloids said that? ...Well, it must be true.
Bartparteeoo
Guest
People have short memories, and as long as he redeems himself I doubt many would begrudge him , as long as he was successful.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
The Finch-Khawaja partnership has paid optimal dividends the past few months, so why put all that preparation to waste? Khawaja is a lot less effective getting his innings going in the middle overs, and Warner starts his innings strongly no matter where he bats, so it's a win-win
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
If he was specifically given the attack dog task he was a bad choice as he has a well documented weak spot that opponents can, and apparently do, exploit ruthlessly. The whole attack dog idea was ill conceived, unnecessary and doomed to fail right from the very start. They'll all be better off forgetting about that rubbish and just sticking to playing cricket. .. ps. I reckon Matty Wade was also caught up in that and it did him no favours either.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
I'm pretty sure part of Warner's punishment is that he is banned from any leadership role indefinitely.
Neel
Roar Guru
Warner in form, Australia on an 8-match winning streak heading into the World Cup in a couple of weeks. This is going to be an interesting couple of weeks heading into the World Cup.
Pinidu Chandrasekera
Roar Rookie
Warner's talent and ability was never the issue. Add his current form in the IPL and his case for selection becomes compelling as you rightly point out Oscar. But perhaps we shouldn't overlook some of the other potential issues from DW returning to the Aussie setup. Last year there were reports (mainly British and Australian tabloids I'll admit) that Warner had "gone rogue", left the team WhatsApp group and fueled a 'rift' within the side. While these were never 100% confirmed, the opinions of Warner's teammates towards his return are also huge factors. Professional sport nowadays is as much about the mindset and mentality of players as it is about skill and practice. And with Cam Bancroft pointing the finger directly at Warner for the incident in his FoxSports interview last year I'd be interested to see how many (if any) of the other players still feel any animosity towards DW and as a result have reservations about his return. Any break in team morale could be a silent killer to the Aussies current form.
Bartparteeoo
Guest
Maaaate , I referred to them as dopey for speaking out , and allowing the grubs in the media to feed on them.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Likewise those Justin Langer bashers have gone eerily quite.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Your comment Ronan pretty much says it all.
Oscar Samios
Roar Rookie
I think a few things are relevant in considering here: 1. Finch and Khawaja are averaging 60+ since forming their partnership at the top of the order and are clearly in tremendous touch. To break up that unity is clearly a tricky task. Recall that Warner batted at 3 in the 2016 T20 world cup, such was the form of Finch and Uzzie 2. Warner has all the characteristics of a great middle overs player. He can defend well, can find the gaps, accelerate when needed, and also run really hard to put pressure on the field. It's not such a preposterous consideration. 3. We praised the Finch-Khawaja opening partnership 6 months ago after the tests in the UAE. A swinging red ball undid that hard work. So the question of openers turns almost entirely on the type of pitch and conditions we see in England. England has played host to some of the highest scoring matches in recent years, and if it's flat tracks then I back these two. If there's a bit more through the air though, then maybe you do look at shielding one of them and opening with Warner, who'd be a bit more used to the swinging ball
Oscar Samios
Roar Rookie
I think we'll be seeing a really different Warner if he does return. It's clear that the attack dog (perfect metaphor!) isn't what we're looking for. Prior to his suspension, there had been some media coverage around his transformation from 'the bull' to 'the reverend', with players noting that the birth of his child brought on a new calmness. It's clear that something or someone got under his skin in South Africa, and I think he'll have had plenty of time to reflect on that now
Oscar Samios
Roar Rookie
I don't agree that Smith and Bancroft have been grubs talking in the media, but I do agree with what you're saying about Warner. My skepticism of him can only last so long before I believe that he is properly remorseful and a changed man. If it walks like a duck...