Warner confident of recovering from slump
NEW DELHI: Despite failing to deliver the goods in the first three Tests of the ongoing fourmatch series against India, Australia opener David Warner has expressed confidence about bouncing back from his slump in the current series.
Warner, one of Australia’s most reliable men with the bat in recent years, has managed to score just 131 runs from his six innings, with a highest score of 38 and an average of 21.83.
Arriving in India, the explosive left-handed batsman was among those tipped to shine on Indian conditions. He had the experience, had extra understanding of India as an IPL player besides his form, having scored 144 and 113 back-to-back at home against Pakistan before setting off.
Ravichandran Ashwin has had Warner’s number in Tests, having dismissed him nine times in 12 Tests before Ranchi, where Ravindra Jadeja removed him in both innings. In this series, Ashwin got him out in three of the first four innings.
Warner, however, is confident about quickly turning around the current run.
“Everyone in world cricket, greats and legends of the game, have had stints overseas or at home where they’ve had some form slumps, and that’s just the game of cricket,” he was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au after the Ranchi Test, which ended in a draw on Monday after some valiant batting by the visitors on the last day.
“I feel fantastic, I couldn’t be hitting the ball any better, but it’s just that the runs aren’t coming for me at the moment. That will come, it will turn around. I just have to keep being disciplined and making sure my preparation is still the same.”
Warner backed teammate Glenn Maxwell, who scored his maiden Test century in Australia’s first innings in the Ranchi Test, saying the latter could go on to play Test cricket for a ‘long time’.
“To come out here and fight like he did and bat time, it should say to him he can play this format,” he said. “And looking forward and down the future, hopefully he can keep playing (Test cricket) for a long time,” Warner said.