After the current Sydney Test against Pakistan, Virender Sehwag thinks David Warner of Australia still has it in him to play Test cricket and shouldn’t give up. The former opener for India, who was among the first to see Warner’s potential, suggested that Warner’s choice may have more to do with his family than with his abilities.
Sehwag made these comments during a Cricbuzz interview. When asked if athletes like him and Warner, who want to strike the ball and rely on hand-eye coordination, are more affected than others by their reflexes slowing down with age. Sehwag stated that those issues are solvable, particularly for a physically fit someone like Warner.
“I personally don’t think he should retire from Tests based on the way he’s batting. But as you age and get to 35-36, you start thinking about off-field matters, like your family and your kids. I can’t see any issue with his reflexes or fitness owing to age. I think he’s mentally decided that he doesn’t want to play Tests anymore. I’m sure he will continue playing T20 cricket for a long time to come.”
Virender Sehwag
He will retire from the format with over 8,600 runs, 26 hundreds, and 56 half-centuries from 112 games after making his Test debut in 2011. Sehwag believes that replacing David Warner will be difficult for Australia.
“I don’t think there will be another David Warner for Australia. The fact that he’s made 26 Test tons and has nearly 9000 runs after batting in the style that he has is extraordinary. How do you find someone else to do that? You might find someone who could pull it off over a handful of Tests but to do that over a 100 Tests is something else.”
Virender Sehwag
Prior to the Pakistan series, the 37-year-old wasn’t playing well, which caused some to question his spot on the squad. Still, he made sure he went out in Sydney on his terms by smashing a superb 164 in the opening Test.
Virender Sehwag’s choice of David Warner’s finest innings
David Warner amassed 1,218 runs, including three half-centuries and four hundreds, against India. In Perth in 2012, he scored his highest score against the Indians, 180(59), which was the quickest century by a Test starter at the time. It was Sehwag’s favorite jab from the Australian.
“It has to be that 180 he made at the WACA against us in 2011 (2012). It was outstanding batting and he’d made the century by the tea-break and also finished the match off single-handedly by then. It was also an innings that summed up David Warner the Test batter, the ability to finish the game off like that and so quickly and what he’s gone on to achieve is very special,” Sehwag stated.
Virender Sehwag
In the Sydney Test, Pakistan chose to bat first after winning the toss.
