Matthew Hayden has voiced his concerns that the Australian cricket team will acutely feel the absence of David Warner’s dynamism and consistency when they face India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. Warner, who played a crucial role in 112 Tests for Australia, amassing an impressive 8786 runs at an average just shy of 45, recently announced his retirement from international cricket. This announcement has generated mixed reactions within the cricket community, leaving many to speculate on Australia’s performance in his absence.
“For the first time, it doesn’t feel as secure,” remarked Hayden, himself a celebrated left-handed opener just like Warner, during an interaction on Wednesday. “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 70 gave great momentum to the top order, which otherwise is quite conservative. So I think he’s an enormous loss in terms of how you replace them,” Hayden emphasized.
Warner’s track record against India is notable yet leaves room for further contributions he might have made. In 21 Tests versus India, Warner has chalked up 1218 runs at an average of 31.23, with four centuries to his name—all scored on Australian soil, where he stands even stronger with 760 runs from 10 Tests.
During his visit to Mumbai for the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards, Hayden expressed his disapproval of the notion of Steve Smith opening the innings as a potential replacement for Warner. He presented a compelling argument against this strategy. “The rationale that George Bailey [chief selector] gave was correct. He thought it was about choosing his best top six players, batsman,” said Hayden.
“You can’t argue with that. Steve Smith averages 56.97 and has 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 [earlier this year in New Zealand 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 take the world’s best-in-class batter in a certain position and then change him to a completely different position,” he added, clearly skeptical of such strategic shuffling.
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Hayden also weighed in on the leadership of Pat Cummins, predicting that the fast bowler could go down in history as one of Australia’s greatest captains. “He’s a great of our game,” said Hayden about Cummins, under whose leadership Australia has clinched the World Cup and 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 who were much more about a carrot-and-stick approach.”
Hayden praised Cummins for his progressive leadership style. “He’s operating on a model that brings out the individuals’ preparation in particular, something in which I think our game struggles, 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,” Hayden concluded.
The former opener also expressed his excitement over the prospect of a five-Test series against India, a rarity in recent cricketing history. “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.”
Since 1991/92, India and Australia have not faced off in a five-Test series. Their much-anticipated clash is set to kick off in Perth on November 22, followed by bouts in Adelaide from December 6, Brisbane from December 14, Melbourne from December 26, and Sydney from January 3. India has triumphed in the previous two series held in Australia, in 2018/19 and in 2020/21, maintaining the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy since the home series in 2014/15, a streak they will be eager to continue.
The retirement of Warner heralds a new chapter for Australian cricket, one that will test the depth and resilience of a side now forced to adapt to the absence of one of its dynamic figures.