5 young openers in the world who can replicate David Warner's Test success, ft. Yashasvi Jaiswal
David Warner belongs to the rare breed of cricketers who made their international debuts before making their First Class debuts. He achieved this feat against South Africa in 2009.
He was then hailed by many cricket experts as the next big thing for Australia in limited overs cricket. Since then, apart from tasting success in ODIs and T20Is, Warner also had an illustrious Test career.
In 205 Test innings in 112 Tests, Warner scored 8786 runs at an average of 44.6, with 26 centuries and 37 half-centuries. He has been an inspiration for many young openers around the world and has been an example to many budding cricketers, especially in the longest format.
Here is a look at five young openers around the world who can replicate Warner's success in the ultimate format:
#1 Yashasvi Jaiswal
After tasting success in the IPL and domestic cricket, Jaiswal was fast-tracked into the Indian Test team and he did not disappoint.
He took the cricket world by storm by blasting a century (171) on Test debut. The Windies bowling line-up, comprising experienced players like Kemar Roach, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph to name a few, failed to contain a young Jaiswal at Windsor Park, Dominica.
In four Tests (all played away from home), the left-hander has scored 316 runs at an average of 45.14, including a century and a half-century.
Jaiswal will look to replicate David Warner and have a successful Test career and play attacking cricket like the Aussie opener.
#2 Tony de Zorzi
Tony de Zorzi had a breakthrough ODI series against India and scored 228 runs in the three-match series at an average of 114.
He is a technically sound top-order batsman and is likley to replace Dean Elgar as an opener in Test cricket. He batted at number three in the recently concluded two-match Test series against India, but did not taste much success. However, not much should be read into these performances considering the wickets were not ideal for batting throughout the Test series.
He has the temprement to play a long innings and is the kind of a batsman who is ready to occupy the crease and dominate bowling attacks once he gets his eye in.
#3 Mahmudul Hasan Joy
Though the Bangladesh opener has not taken Test cricket by storm, he has the potential of making it big in the ultimate format. Joy has one century and four half-centuries in 20 Test innings and has showed the cricket world that he belongs to the big stage.
He lone Test century (137) has come at the Kingsmead in Durban in 2022 against South Africa on a difficult batting wicket.
While the rest of the Bangladesh batting line-up was demolished, Joy stood firm on one end and scored one of the best hundreds by a Bangladesh batsman in South Africa. Joy also scored a gutsy 78 against New Zealand at the Bay Oval in January, 2022 and was one of the architects in Bangladesh's historic Test win in New Zealand.
Joy has scored in South Africa and New Zealand and has the potential of being one of the finest openers to have played Test cricket for Bangladesh.
#4 Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Tagenarine Chanderpaul has the attributes of being a solid opening batsman and he has proved the same in his brief Test career.
The left-handed opener made his debut against a strong Australian side in November 2022. While the rest of his team-mates were blown away by the Australian bowlers, Chanderpaul fought hard and had a decent series. He scored 160 runs in four innings at an average of 40, including a half-century in his maiden Test innings.
He smashed a brilliant double century against a visiting Zimbabwe team in February, 2023. He has played eight Tests, and in 15 innings, Chanderpaul has scored 529 runs at an average of almost 41.
West Indies tour Australia for a two-match Test series and Chanderpaul will look to make his past experince of playing well in Australia count and score big runs Down Under in the Test series.
#5 Abdullah Shafique
The young Pakistani opener has made rapid strides in Test cricket. In 32 Test innings, the opener has scored 1330 runs at a healthy average of 44.33. He has four Test centuries, including a double century against Sri Lanka and has the appettite to score big runs at the top of the order.
Shafique has played most of his Tests in the sub-continent and has a healthy average of 43.53 in Pakistan, 50 in Bangladesh and 69.50 in Sri Lanka. He avearged just 18.33 in the recently concluded Test tour of Australia. However, it was his first tour Down Under and Shafique is likley to improve with time.
Shafique has it in him to dominate bowling attacks, and if he scores runs outside Asia, he will be one of the best openers to have played for Pakistan in the recent times in Test cricket.