PAK vs AUS: "Only Virender Sehwag Has Been..." - Greg Chappell Hopes 'Sydney Farewells David Warner Fondly'

Former Australian skipper Greg Chappell hopes that the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will provide a memorable farewell to veteran opener David Warner, who will play the last Test of his career next week. The former Team India coach praised the left-handed batter’s contributions over the years despite the polarizing public and media opinion.

The 37-year-old David Warner made his Test debut back in 2011 and since then he has been Australia’s first-choice opener. He has a terrific record in Test cricket and is Australia’s fifth-highest run-getter in the format. He has a formidable home record of 5347 runs in 53 Test matches with a 335* as his highest individual score which came against Pakistan.

In his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, Chappell wrote, “I know how hard it is to do what he has done through 111 Tests, so I hope that David’s harshest critics acknowledge his talent and contribution and forgive his human frailties. I hope Sydney farewells David Warner fondly next week. Whatever one thinks of him, David Warner has been fantastic for Australian cricket.”

The former India coach lauded the left-hander’s enthusiasm for the game over the years. “The passion, energy, professionalism and competitiveness that he has brought to every contest have been unmatched. He must accept that he has allowed himself to be portrayed in a certain manner.”

The Sandpapergate Scandal Will Be A Permanent Blot in David Warner’s Career, Says Greg Chappell

Before the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at the Optus stadium in Perth, David Warner received scathing criticism from former teammate Mitchell Johnson. However, he shushed all the critics after a terrific 164 on the first day of the Perth Test completing his 26th Test century.

Chappell, however, reckons the sandpaper saga from 2018 is a permanent blot in Warner’s career. The 75-year-old explained, “David will never live down the ‘Sandpaper Gate’ incident. That scar on Australian cricket needs to be owned by a lot more people than Warner and Bancroft. Warner’s role in the success of Australian cricket during his time cannot be underestimated. In the modern era, only Virender Sehwag has been more damaging than Warner as an opener.”

The former Australian skipper also expects Australia to pick a like-for-like replacement for the southpaw. He continued, “While the best fast bowlers always fancy themselves against anyone, they know that certain players can destroy them if they are not on the top of their game. The impact of a destructive opener can never be overestimated and I strongly believe that the selectors must look for someone with similar abilities to replace Warner or risk giving away the unique advantage that Australia has enjoyed for the past decade.”

David Warner is likely to retire from all forms of cricket after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 which is scheduled in June 2024 and will be jointly hosted by the West Indies and the USA. Australia have already won the series against Pakistan by getting an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match series. The Sydney Test will be the last for David Warner and he would hope to end on a memorable note.