As the cricketing world eagerly awaits the Border-Gavaskar Trophy clash between Australia and India later this year, one notable inclusion will be missing from the Australian lineup – David Warner. The dynamic opener, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, will leave a considerable void in the Australian side. Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden weighed in on this significant development during an event in Mumbai for the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards, expressing concerns about the impact of Warner’s absence on the team.
Warner, who boasted an impressive record of 112 Test matches and accumulated 8786 runs at an average close to 45, was known for his aggressive style and the momentum he brought to the team. “For the first time, it doesn’t feel as secure,” Hayden remarked. “David Warner gave a great service to Australian cricket. He was extremely competitive, wonderfully dynamic. He really carried forward the legacy that I’d created through the 2000s.”
Hayden highlighted that Warner’s explosive strike rates, often exceeding 80 with a career average strike rate of 70.19, provided great momentum to the top order. “He’s an enormous loss in terms of how you replace that dynamism,” he further added. Warner’s track record against India also reflects his prowess; in 21 Tests against them, Warner scored 1218 runs at an average of 31.23 with four centuries, all on home soil, amassing a noteworthy 760 runs in just 10 Tests in Australia.
A significant concern Hayden voiced was the consideration of Steve Smith for the opening role in the absence of Warner. He argued strongly against the idea. “The rationale that George Bailey [chief selector] gave was correct. He thought it was about choosing his best top six players, batsmen. Now, you can’t argue with that. Steve Smith averages 56.97 and has 32 Test match hundreds. But the role of an opening batsman compared to a middle-order batsman is very different. It didn’t take long to discover that [in New Zealand earlier in the year when Smith as an opener was not exactly a success].”
Reflecting on the unsuccessful experiment, Hayden stated, “I said at the time that I didn’t like the change.
. I think it’s crazy to think that you have the world’s best-in-class batter in a certain position and then you change to a completely different position.”
Shifting the focus from batting to leadership, Hayden showered accolades on Pat Cummins, lauding him as one of the greatest captains of Australia. “He’s a great of our game,” Hayden commented about Cummins, who has led Australia to victories in both the World Cup and World Test Championship (WTC). “He has a very special leadership style and ability. It’s very different from the former captains of the Australian team who operated with a much stricter approach.”
Hayden praised Cummins for his unique leadership philosophy, which fosters individual preparation within the team environment. “He’s operating on a model that’s bringing out the best in individuals, a challenge our game often struggles with, being a team sport. Ultimately, [it’s about] how you get the best out of an individual. He has a slightly off-centre approach. I’ve followed this team now very closely over the last two years, and they’re an extremely close team. Pat is a great leader, and he will go down as one of our greats.”
Anticipating the forthcoming series against India, Hayden opined that a five-Test series would be more thrilling than a three or four-Test series. “It’s going to be an unbelievable series, and actually not without great minds coming together. It is even more special by extending it to five Test matches. In three Test matches, you always feel half pregnant; in four Test matches, there’s always that swinging boat whereas in five Test matches, you get a chance to win, lose, and then come back and win. I love it. It’s going to be a great series.”
The last time India and Australia competed in a five-Test series was in the 1991/92 season. The much-anticipated series will kick off in Perth on November 22, followed by matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. India has claimed the last two series victories in Australia, in 2018/19 and in 2020/21, leaving Australia without the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for over a decade since the 2014/15 home series.
With the upcoming series primed to be a cricketing spectacle, the absence of Warner’s energizing presence will undoubtedly be felt. As both teams gear up for intense competition, only time will tell how Australia adapts to the changes and whether they can reclaim the coveted trophy from India.