David Warner is one of those players who can win you a match in the space of an hour.
After bursting onto the scene in 2008/09 for the Blues, where he scored 390 runs at 55.71, selectors could not ignore Warner as a limited over trump card.
Despite not having played any First Class cricket, Warner made his debut for Australia in a T20 against South Africa at the MCG. It was a night to remember for the diminutive opener, who smashed his way to 89 off just 43 deliveries.
Incredible T20 form made it hard for selectors to consider him for Tests. His only choice was to continue making runs, and that’s exactly what he did. Warner became the first player in T20 history to score back to back centuries during New South Wales’ Champions League campaign in 2011.
The weight of runs prompted selectors to take a chance on the livewire batsmen, and he didn’t let them down, taking just two Tests to score his first century. The fact that he carried his bat against a tough New Zealand attack repaid the selectors’ faith in his ability to bat for long periods of time.
A sparkling 69 ball century at the WACA against India confirmed his spot as Test opener, which has since seen Shane Watson move himself down one spot in the order.
Warner has excelled in shorter forms of the game, especially in T20 cricket. His form for the Delhi Daredevils has always been solid, but it has been for NSW and the Sydney Thunder where he has really exploded. In his only game of the KFC T20 Big Bash in 2011/12, Warner bludgeoned a Melbourne Stars’ attack featuring Shane Warne to all parts of the MCG for a match winning 102 off just 51 balls.
While his form has been outstanding at T20 level, Warner still has plenty to prove. He is more than capable of producing consistent knocks, but he seems to be lacking clarity in what his role should be in the Test side.
