David Warner is Australia's greatest ever all-three format player: Coach Andrew McDonald hails veteran player
AUS vs PAK: Australia head coach Andrew McDonald hailed David Warner as the country's greatest ever all-three format player ahead of his farewell Test match at the SCG.
In Short
- Australia will play New Year Test match against Pakistan on January 3
- David Warner will retire from Test cricket after the 3rd Test match against Pakistan
- Australia took an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the 3-match Test Series
Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald hailed star Australian opener David Warner as the greatest ever all-three format player to have represented the country.
The 37-year-old is set to play his farewell Test match at his home ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia will look to inflict a clean sweep as they face Pakistan on January 3, 2024. Warner, who is part of Australia's New Year Test squad against Pakistan, will bid adieu to the red-ball format.
Ahead of Warner's farewell Test match, McDonald, while speaking to the media, heaped praise on Warner. "In time, he will probably go down, but probably at the moment as it sits, he is probably our greatest ever all-three format player. He is going to drop out of one of those formats in terms of Test match cricket. He will be a loss," McDonald said.
McDonald also referred to Warner as someone who will be hard to replace as the team searches for successor at the top of the batting order.
"I know that people have been gunning for him for a period of time, but for us internally, we have seen the great value in what he brings to the table, hence why we have kept picking him. He repaid a bit of that faith in the first Test match. He's going to be hard to replace. Someone who strikes at 70 averaging 45, and most ever runs as an Australian opener," McDonald added.
Warner announced his retirement from the longest format of the game ahead of Australia's 3-match Test series against Pakistan. His selection into the squad was questioned by his former teammate Mitchell Johnson, who raised concerns over his form in Test cricket and the need for Warner to get a 'heroes' send-off', knowing his involvement in the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal. However, Warner proved his critics wrong with a sensational 164-run knock in the 1st Test of the series in Perth.
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The left-handed opener will go down as one of the greatest of the game, having amassed 8695 runs in 111 Test matches. In his illustrious Test career, the batter scored 26 Test hundreds and also became the 2nd highest run scorer for Australia in international cricket, just behind Ricky Ponting.
Warner will be playing in the ILT20 league in the UAE in January and hence, won't be in action for Australia during the West Indies tour.