David Warner expressed regret about his early career, stating he would have changed his aggressive “attack dog” persona, attributing it to the need to get under opponents’ skin.
David Warner, reflecting on his career, revealed a key regret about his early aggressive approach, expressing a desire to have toned down the “attack dog” persona he adopted as a young player. The recently retired Australian opener, who concluded his career with a Test series whitewash against Pakistan, shared his insights in a conversation with Code Sports.
Warner suggested that if the Indian Premier League (IPL) had come earlier in his career, he might have adjusted his aggressive stance, realizing that getting to know people might have steered him away from confrontational tactics.
“I would have changed early doors, I wouldn’t have been that ‘attack dog’. If IPL came around earlier, in my mind I found that the more I get to know people, the more I wouldn’t actually go at someone. And I felt like I was actually directed to be that person, to go out there and attack opposition players and get under their skin,” Warner said.
The Australian opener reflected on the roots of his aggressive approach, attributing it to his early experiences in grade cricket where verbal confrontations were prevalent.
“Yeah it made me play better because they came at me, but it wasn’t what I’ve always set out to do. I think just because that was me growing up and being attacked verbally, playing grade cricket, that’s all you knew growing up. What you play around and what you play in teams with, if people are going against you, you just think it’s acceptable to do that. So that was almost like the role that I was encouraged to take up. And that’s probably one thing that I reckon I would speak up and change in my career, definitely,” he added.
Known for his aggressive on-field demeanor, Warner’s approach underwent scrutiny, especially after the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering scandal. Recent revelations by his strike partner, Usman Khawaja, suggested that the coaching staff directed Warner to engage in sledging early in his Test career. Khawaja claimed Warner was molded into being a provocative player, aiming to disrupt opponents’ focus and rhythm.
Despite the controversies, Warner concluded his Test career with notable achievements, amassing 8786 runs at an average of 44.59, including 26 centuries and 37 fifties, solidifying his place as Australia’s fifth-leading Test run-scorer.
Last Updated on January 21, 2024
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