David Warner retired from Test cricket with 8786 runs at an average of 44 in 112 Tests. He notched up 26 Test hundreds. He is the 5th leading Australian Test scorer, and only 7 Australian batsmen raised more Test hundreds than the left-hander. The 37-year-old is a two-time ODI World Cup winner, a T20 World Cup winner, and a multiple-time Ashes winner.
Despite such enviable records, David Warner is not among the league of the greats that includes Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Don Bradman, says the former Australian head coach John Buchanan.
John Buchanan, who coached Australia to the 1999 World Cup title and the 2001 Ashes win among his other triumphs as a coach, admitted that Warner has been an exceptional batsman, but he wouldn’t consider the opener a “great” as that category belongs to the absolute elites of Australian cricket.
“I think he’s certainly performed exceptionally well throughout this career, he sits on 8000+ runs, he’s played over 100 Test matches, over 160 ODIs, and nearly 100 T20s. On performance base, he’s right up there,” said Buchanan on SEN Breakfast.
He added: “But greats of the game, in my opinion, are people that really do and have done something exceptional that others just can’t match, so therefore you automatically go to the Bradmans, McGraths, Warnes, they’re the greats in my opinion. Others come close, but are just not in that category and I don’t see Warner in that category.”
Steve Smith in line to replace David Warner as Test opener
In an interesting turn of events, and something that hadn’t been anticipated until a few days ago, Steve Smith is now close to taking up the vacant spot as Australia’s new Test opener, replacing David Warner.
According to a report in the Herald Sun, the Australian selectors and management have been convinced by Steve Smith to let him open and take up a new role, despite having had immense success in the middle order.
The debate in the Australian cricket circuit had been around Cameron Bancroft, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Harris, and Cameron Green as to who should replace Warner at the top, until Smith put his name in the hat at the end of David Warner’s farewell Test in Sydney.
Leaked reports suggest Steve Smith has been anointed as Australia’s next Test opener, whilst Cameron Green will take Smith’s place at four. pic.twitter.com/RvFfmmMoXh
— 🏏Flashscore Cricket Commentators (@FlashCric) January 9, 2024
Australia’s squad for the 2-Test home series against the West Indies will be announced on Wednesday, and it is strongly believed that Smith will be slotted as the new opener with Green returning in a middle-order position.
Also Read: Watch: Rohit Sharma’s Reaction When A Reporter Reminded Him Of World Cup 2023 Final Loss
