The 2023 Border-Gavaskar series is one Australian veteran David Warner would like to expunge from his twelve-year Test cricket career.
The opening batsman struggled to find form, scoring just 26 runs across three innings before copping one on the elbow from Mohammed Siraj in the first innings of the second Test. The blow turned out to create quite a bit of damage, causing a hairline fracture in Warner's hand and quite possibly to the twilight of his career as well.
The 36-year-old has faced heavy criticism over the last few years, struggling to find consistent form. Prior to this series, Warner struggled to find form in India, averaging 24.25 across appearances in ten Test matches.
Looking forward, Australia are also walking into an extremely pivotal World Test Championship and Ashes series in England, another country where Warner has struggled to perform, having a record minutely better than that in India.
Finding yourself on the chopping block is normal in Test cricket, but with Warner's age and the series to come, many fear that it might be the end of his service to the Australian cricket team. However, upon returning to Sydney earlier last week Warner seemed to be in a motivated mindset to come back stronger and confirmed that retirement was not even in the plans.
Australian legend Ricky Ponting fears that Warner will not finish his career on his own terms, and because of the lack of form, may be forced out of cricket in an ugly fashion.
The former Australian skipper was fairly convinced that Warner's last dance would be at the World Test Championship final.
“I think I've heard him talk before about their cycle. This current cycle will finish after the World Test Championship, which is obviously the week before the first Ashes Test and I would think all going well that they want to get David through until the end of that Test match at least,” Ponting said on RSN Radio.
“It's up to him though. The only currency you have as a batsman is runs and if you're not scoring any you leave yourself open.
“It's happened to all of us, it happened to me. When you get to a certain age and it looks like your form is dropping off slightly, then the knives are sharpened and it doesn't take long.
“The last thing he deserved is to be away on a tour and get in to the middle of a series and get dropped and his career is over. That would be an awful way for him to finish.
“He's a driven little man, a pretty stubborn little bugger, so we'll see how he goes.”
While the future looks bleak for the Aussie opener, Warner is one of the most resilient cricketers in modern cricket and certainly won't have the curtains closed in this fashion. Only time will tell whether we'll see 'the Bull' in Australian whites, doing his iconic jump and fist bump celebration ever again.
