Hayden believes David Warner can become Australia’s best ever opener

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden believes that his contemporary David Warner has the potential to become his country’s greatest ever opening batsman.

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden believes that his contemporary David Warner has the potential to become his country’s greatest ever opening batsman.

Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman David Warner plays a shot against Royal Challengers Bangalore. (PTI Photo)

“I think he can be the best,” Hayden was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. “He certainly knows now how to temper his performance and that’s the hardest thing to learn. You can teach a lot of skills, but the mindset of a batsman is a mindset that takes time to learn.”

After being sidelined from the national squad over the infamous late-night altercation with England’s Joe Root in 2013, Warner has shown remarkable transition from the bad boy of Australian cricket to the premier Test opener in the world.

The explosive southpaw has accumulated a staggering 3,238 Test runs, including 13 centuries, since his return in the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford.

“As a batsman you need to develop your timing. Davey needed to mature as much as a person as he did a cricketer and he’s done that,” Hayden said while observing that his ability to make judicious shot selection has propelled him into a dominant force.

Hayden, who is considered as one of Australia’s fiercest openers, had scored 153 runs and two centuries more than Warner at the same stage in 51 Tests.