New Delhi [India], December 14 (ANI): Australia’s star opener David Warner opened up on his trademark celebration after slamming a century against Pakistan on Day 1 of the opening Test match at the Perth Stadium on Thursday.
Warner hushed all doubters about his form in Test cricket on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan, slamming a typically explosive 164 off 211 balls in a spectacular start to his farewell series.
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After making ‘shush’ gesture following his Test century on the first day of the first Test against Pakistan at Perth Stadium, Warner says Mitchell Johnson is entitled to his opinion and that he is free to celebrate how he likes.
Earlier in the month in an editorial published in the West Australian, the former speedster Johnson questioned why Warner had the authority to choose his retirement date despite his terrible form with the bat in Tests and accusing him of not owning up to his role in the ball-tampering scandal.
When asked about the celebration, the left-hander claimed it was a ‘good little shush’ and that he didn’t feel any pressure before stepping out to bat.
“You saw what it was. It was a nice little quiet shush. It’s just anyone who wants to write stories about me and trying to use headlines, get headlines, that stuff doesn’t bother me. It’s just the fact that I have to go out there and do what I have to do. And I’m allowed to celebrate how I want,” Warner said post-play as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Warner was questioned further on whether he would try to restore his fractured friendship with Johnson, despite having shared a World Cup and Ashes victory with him. However, the opening player alluded to comments made by former Australia coach Justin Langer, who wrote in his West Australian weekly column that Johnson should have “praised in public and criticised in private.”
“Mitch is entitled to his opinion. He’s a former player. You saw Justin Langer’s comments. He said he’s entitled to it. You can go back to Justin Langer’s comments and refer to them and so be it,” Warner said.
In 20 Tests from 2022-23, Warner has scored 936 runs in 36 innings at an average of 26.74, with just one century and four half-centuries. This is in stark contrast with the opener’s white-ball form, which has been consistent in the 2020s as well.
Warner believes that his amazing run of form in the ODI World Cup and return to form in Test cricket in Perth had nothing to do with mechanical adjustments. Instead, he argued that it corresponded with things cooling down behind the scenes following the uproar over his captaincy ban appeal with Cricket Australia last summer.
“There’s been a lot of stuff off the field that’s not really distracted me from a personal point of view. We had a lot of stuff with CA last year and the captaincy stuff and I was going through a pretty, pretty hard time off the field from all that and dealing with it,” the left-handed batter stated.
“This year we’ve had a great successful 12 months as a team. We’re all so pleased with our achievements, but we’ve still got work to do this summer. I think, where I am in my part of my career it’s been great. I’ve not really had much to worry about. People make comments but you get on with it and you’ve got to go out there and score runs. Today I did that but as a team, we had a few starts and I know a lot of other guys would like to go on. But I think we’re in a pretty good position on that [pitch]. I think where we finished today is probably around par minus probably another wicket,” the veteran opener said.
Coming to the opening Test, Warner kicked off his Test swansong in style with a belligerent century, putting the hosts in a commanding position at 346/5 at the stumps on the first day of the opening Test against Pakistan in Perth on Thursday. (ANI)
