Warner scales his toughest peak

It's sadly ironic that the Test in which David Warner finally found a way to replicate his home dominance on the subcontinent and play what he rates as the best knock of his career will be remembered for entirely different reasons.

Warner played a brilliant hand in Australia's second innings of the first Test against Bangladesh, crashing 112 off just 135 balls, the only century of the match, on a dicey Dhaka wicket.

But, having gone 19 innings in Asia without a century, the opener's breakthrough innings was the only substantial contribution for the visitors as Bangladesh claimed a momentous 20-run victory.

Warner's century will no doubt become a footnote in the bigger picture of the Tigers' maiden Test win over Australia, which sparked jubilant scenes of celebration from their hosts.

But the fact a considered Warner agreed post-match it was the finest innings he's ever played, and one that might signal a turning point in his Asian fortunes, represents one bright spot from a crushing defeat.

"I would have to say, yeah," the 31-year-old said of an innings that saw him dominate Bangladesh's spin attack with commanding footwork, both forward and back, the like of which has been all-too rare from the opener in previous subcontinental outings.

"In a fourth innings in the subcontinent on a turning wicket. There are a lot of mental things that go through your head.

"You have got to overcome those. And with the conditions as well you have got to be fast on your feet.

"For me, it was about coming out and backing myself and my gameplan. I probably tinkered with it a lot over the last couple of years in these conditions and probably just didn't nail the basics of what I do best … attacking and then defending.

"That's when I am at my best and I always talk about my defence taking care of itself if I am having that attacking approach.

"And I just showed myself and proved to myself that I am capable of doing it on turning tracks."

The usually confident Warner admitted self-doubt over his ability to handle high-quality spin in Asia crept in during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka last year, where Australia were whitewashed 3-0.

The left-hander averaged 27.16 on that tour, with one half-century from six innings.

"I think (the doubts) probably hit me in Sri Lanka," he continued. "I felt sometimes there I was getting beaten all the time on the inside (of the bat); I was always getting lbw or if it was a little bit wider I would play it a little bit instead of playing the line. 

"It takes time to get used to these conditions and hopefully my time has come now. 

"That took probably longer than I expected."

Warner's altered approach reflects a broader shift in Australia's strategy for this Qantas Tour of Bangladesh, with fast bowler Pat Cummins explaining on Tuesday the team had placed a greater emphasis on sticking with what works for them at home.

While certain adjustments have had to be made for conditions far removed from the fast and bouncy Test pitches of Australia, Warner believes his struggles in Asia can be partly be put down to not sticking to a method that has served him so well at home.

"You always get comments that you have to adjust and adapt to the conditions," said Warner, who has scored 14 of his 19 Test hundreds in Australia.

"But, as a player you should never go away from what you know best.

"That's what I have noticed with me, with my attacking approach. I strike close to 80 in Test match cricket and I find that when things aren't going my way I've thought of defending."

Warner's Test strike-rate does indeed stand at 78.12, and the stats from his difficult tour of India earlier this year do suggest he went into his shell when confronted with spin bowling, often from ball one.

With one half-century in eight innings, Warner's strike-rate in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series was 62.45, a leisurely pace by his overtly aggressive standards.

In Dhaka though, his decisiveness in punishing anything slightly short, using his feet to flighted deliveries and sweeping off a good length had Bangladesh's spinners at a loss for the first time in the match.

When player-of-the-match Shakib Al Hasan trapped Warner lbw, it sparked a match-turning collapse of 8-86 as the home side's bowlers once again got on top of Australia's batsmen. 

As a consequence, while Warner emphatically displayed a capability to make big runs on the subcontinent, his teammates now face added pressure to show they can do the same in the second Test in Chittagong.

"There is a lot of grit and determination there," Warner said of the squad. "There are going to be times when it is going to be tough in these conditions.

"I've been there before, it (the subcontinent) is not a great place to tour if you are not doing well so you need the support of your friends and your teammates. And more importantly, your family at home.

"It is always challenging. You find these challenges rewarding eventually when you get on top, but it is very, very hard work.

"It has taken me a long time to actually work out my game and hopefully a lot of other players do that faster than what I have done."

Australia in Bangladesh 2017

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Steve O'Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade.

Bangladesh squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (c), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Sabbir Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Liton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mominul Haque.

27-31 August First Test, Dhaka, Bangladesh won by 20 runs

4-8 September Second Test, Chittagong