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Michael Clarke has said that David Warner’s talents, and ability to do things other players couldn’t, helped him avoid having his central contract ripped up earlier in his career when he had brushes with authority.
Clarke was Warner’s first captain in Test cricket when he made his debut in 2011 and went on to play 39 games alongside him, as well as the 2015 ODI World Cup triumph, but the patience of those in charge was tested on more than one occasion even if the most controversial moment of his career came later in 2018.
Clarke was Australia’s captain in 2013 when Warner was suspended for his altercation with Joe Root in a Birmingham bar and he went on to miss the first two Tests of that year’s Ashes.
“Davey has always been a tough character, someone I loved having in the team, that intent, that aggressive approach,” Clarke told ESPN’s Around The Wicket show. “But he was the same off the field, a little bull, and got into a little bit of trouble along the way.
“But think he had a lot of support and help from, certainly, senior players and around Cricket Australia that helped him not have his contract ripped up. There was a bit of a fight to keep him because he was so important to the team. [There was] the confidence, being his captain, that [at] the start of his career that like all of us, we are young, [he] needed to learn lessons along the way.
“Davey’s game has really been learnt at the highest level, playing for Australia, which is not easy to do so think he deserves a lot of credit.”
Clarke added that from very early on Warner’s natural talent was evident, but he still had to win over those who were unsure about his pathway which largely came from T20, where he played in the format for Australia before making his first-class debut.
“He’s had a stellar career, opening the batting [is] such a hard position,” Clarke said. “There were a lot of doubts around the way Davey played. Could he cut it in Test cricket? [He] started as a T20 player and there was always that risk. I think from day one everyone saw the talent, very gifted, can do things that a lot of players can’t do. And he’s been able to manage that role as an opening batsman but keep his intent, which is easier said than done.
“An Australian batsman that set the tone when it came to opening batting was Matthew Hayden – I used to love watching Haydos and Michael Slater walk out and bat and play that aggressive role – and think Davey continued in that manner. If the ball was full and there to drive early in his innings he’d take it on, if it was short he takes on that pull or hook shot, he wanted to score runs. That’s the name of the game but it’s easier said than done, trying to do that against a brand-new ball in Test cricket. Deserves a lot of praise.”
However, Clarke was of the view that this Test in Sydney would have been the perfect time for Warner to retire from all formats of the international game. On Monday, Warner added ODIs to Tests, but will remain available in T20Is with an eye on June’s World Cup.
“Guess I thought it would have been the ideal time to walk away from international cricket in general but [he] wants to keep playing T20 cricket,” Clarke said. “Now the balance is going to be form playing domestic T20s verses stepping up and playing international. He’ll still have to earn his selection. Think his form in domestic T20 is something the selectors will be looking at. We have a lot of young players coming through in that T20 format that they might pick for the World Cup. Again, the way Davey’s played in all three formats is credit to him.”
