In what promises to be a gripping series later this year, former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has voiced his concern that the Australian team will keenly feel the absence of David Warner’s dynamism and consistency in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Warner, known for his aggressive shot-making and steadfast presence at the crease, recently announced his retirement from international cricket, leaving a significant void in the Australian lineup.
Warner’s illustrious career spanned 112 Tests, yielding 8786 runs at an average close to 45, marked by an ability to change the course of a game with his explosive batting. Speaking in Mumbai during the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards, Hayden, himself a former left-handed opener, remarked on Wednesday, “For the first time, it doesn’t feel as secure. David Warner gave a great service to Australian cricket. He was extremely competitive, wonderfully dynamic. He really took that legacy that I’d created through the 2000s. His strike rates in excess of 80 (70.19) gave great momentum to the top order which, otherwise, is quite conservative. So I think he’s an enormous loss in terms of how do you replace them.”
Warner’s record against India includes 21 Tests in which he scored 1218 runs at an average of 31.23, including four centuries—all in Australia where he accumulated 760 runs in 10 Tests. Despite a mixed record against the Indians, his presence was always a pivotal aspect of Australia’s top order.
Hayden also voiced his opposition to the potential move of using Steve Smith as an opener. He articulated his perspective, “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 65 (56.97) and has 30 (32) Test match hundreds. You know 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]. 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.”
Apart from discussing Warner’s absence, Hayden did not shy away from praising Australia’s current captain, Pat Cummins. Hayden believes Cummins possesses the potential to be one of Australia’s greatest captains. “He’s a great of our game,” Hayden noted, referring to Cummins, who has already led Australia to glory in a World Cup and a World Test Championship (WTC). “He has a very special leadership style and ability. It’s very different from the former kind of captains of the Australian team that were very much a carrot and stick type approach. He’s operating on a model that’s bringing out the individuals’ preparation in particular, something in which I think our game struggles, being a team sport. Ultimately, [it’s] how you get the best out of an individual. He has a slightly off-centre approach. I 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.”
A keen advocate for an extended contest, Hayden also expressed his enthusiasm for a five-Test series between India and Australia, which has not occurred since the 1991/92 season. “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 got a chance to win. You also get a chance to lose and then you get a chance to come back and win. I love it. It’s going to be a great series.”
The much-anticipated series will inaugurate in Perth on November 22, followed by Tests in Adelaide (from December 6), Brisbane (from December 14), Melbourne (from December 26), and Sydney (from January 3). Notably, India has triumphed in the last two series held in Australia in 2018/19 and 2020/21. Australia aims to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which they haven’t held since the 2014/15 home series.
With Warner’s dynamism and Cummins’ leadership under scrutiny, the forthcoming series promises to be an epic showdown, rich with opportunities and challenges for both teams.