David Warner’s new-found pedestrian approach to batting is being questioned by former Test stars.
Warner has transformed from risk-taker to single-maker with his strike rate in the Ashes series against England, dipping to near-record lows.
In Warner’s 22 Test series, only twice has he scored at a slower rate.
His strike rate against England in the current series is 54.44 – his lowest-ever rates are 50.38 in India in 2013 and 54.11 in the West Indies in 2012.
And while his Test career strike rate remains a healthy 76.22, some former Test stars are questioning Warner’s sluggish output.
“Warner is a little bit of a concern for me, (he) looks like he is really playing within himself this series,” ex-England batsman Kevin Pietersen told the Nine Network.
“We have hardly seen any hustle and bustle … I’m wondering whether he is thinking responsible, responsible, responsible instead of thinking the David Warner way which is whack, whack, whack.
“He has been so good at handing over the pressure to the bowlers, to the opposition captain, and we just haven’t seen any of that.”
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor concurred, saying Pietersen had “hit the nail right on the head”.
“Playing within yourself is not exactly the right way to do it,” Taylor said.
Pietersen said Warner’s dismissal against England on the second day of the third Test in Perth was evidence of the batsman’s mindset.
Warner was caught behind from Craig Overton’s bowling when prodding outside off stump.
“A symptom of what is happening to David Warner at the moment is he is thinking singles,” Pietersen said.
“Look at the angle of his bat – he is thinking, ‘I want to put you to the offside and get a single, I want to get off strike’.”
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