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ICC World Cup 2019:Twice bitten, David Warner seeks his grace in runs
This is 2019. Australia have begun the defence of their World Cup title in England. And Warner is still where he was three years back—quietly returning to mainstream cricket after a one-year ban following the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018, hoping, yet again, to win over his team’s trust and convince the world that he had truly atoned for his misdeed
Nottingham In a Hyderabad hotel room three years ago, David Warner was sipping on an energy drink, narrating how he had turned a corner in his professional and personal life. Starting a family with a former Ironwoman had given him stability, giving up drinking had taught him the virtues of restraint, and leading an Indian T20 franchise had made him more patient. He had started writing children’s books, sharing memories from a childhood made memorable by a Fox Terrier dog named Max, cricket, and Cambodian, Bangladeshi and Indian friends in a multicultural school that had less than 50% Australians.
Warner had changed. The 2013 Ashes was considered a turning point in his career. Dropped from the team after punching Joe Root at a bar, Warner was thought to have come back a reformed man, fit to uphold Australia’s cricket culture of playing hard but fair.
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“I’m on my last warning from the ICC,” he had said after the incident.
In 2016, Warner was convinced of his transformation. “You go back to 2013 when I made a lot of mistakes but you get through those times. And I came out of the other end very good,” he said during an interview with HT. Then came the disclaimer. “Some people think I should bring back some of my old antics a little bit but they will always be there.”
This is 2019. Australia have begun the defence of their World Cup title in England. And Warner is still where he was three years back—quietly returning to mainstream cricket after a one-year ban following the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018, hoping, yet again, to win over his team’s trust and convince the world that he had truly atoned for his misdeed. Redemption will not come easily in England; Warner quickly realised that on Saturday when a fairly large Bristol crowd kept jeering him in Australia’s comfortable win against Afghanistan.
He may not mind, though. Nothing fires him up more than the challenge of proving himself to the world. And he knows the best way to do it is to score heavily. That mindset brought out the best in him in the Indian Premier League this year where he finished as the highest scorer with 692 runs.
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He again showed glimpses of that form against Afghanistan, staying unbeaten on 89 to complete a comprehensive seven-wicket win.
“Good sign, isn’t it? You can see the look in his eyes,” said Australia coach Justin Langer on Tuesday.
“A lot of people are talking, looks determined. For him to battle through 90 or 80, whatever it was, and to still be there at the end and get the job done for the team, that’s a great sign for us. And all talk has been for the last 12 months about Dave, how is he going to fit back in the team. He could not have played a better innings than he did the other day. Energy in the field was brilliant. He’s smiling a lot.” What then of his previous role as Australia’s tormentor-in-chief? Given the circumstances, Warner would be well-advised to not go down that road again. After his last IPL match this year, he had hinted at a changed life perspective as well. “I have worked hard over the last few months. Just put the bat down and tried to be the best man I can be, the best husband I can be and that’s worked for me. Yeah, I try to be the funny man in the team, the prankster,” he had said.
But can David Warner stay away from a controversy? This is too long a tournament for everything to work out well for everyone and every team. There will be highs and lows, the temptation to rile the opposition, or poke fun at a bowler. It is only too well known how Warner thrives in such situations against the toughest opposition. Also, how it tends to become personal in no time. Warner has always been non-committal about this. “It’s more banter. It’s more about getting into the minds of the batsmen,” he had said. That was three years back though. This time, it’s almost as if Warner is on parole. Only his bat can talk, not him.
