David Warner's 3 best Border-Gavaskar Trophy knocks
The Border Gavaskar Trophy is almost upon us and the players, pundits and fans are looking forward to what promises to be one of the biggest series in India in recent times.
Australia and India are arguably the two best teams in the longest format and both sides have some special players who will be hoping to impact the series in a positive manner.
From the visitors camp, David Warner is one player who will be desperate to have a good series after having endured a tough run in his two previous India tours.
Warner is the second most experienced player in the Australian squad, just behind off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Despite not having a good record in India, the veteran southpaw has played a few sublime knocks against India.
Here, we look at Warner's three best knocks in Border-Gavaskar Trophy tests.
# 180, Perth (2012)
David Warner's first tryst against India in the longest format came during the 2011-12 Border Gavaskar series on Australian shores. Warner did not have a great series until the third Test match in Perth, where he played a sensational inning, making 180 runs off just 159 deliveries. Warner attacked the Indian bowlers who were already enduring a tough series, smashing five sixes and 20 boundaries.
He shared a brilliant opening stand of 214 with Ed Cowan, who himself made 74. Warner's effort helped Australia post 369 in response to India's first-innings score of 161. India were eventually beaten by an inning and 37 runs with the Aussies not required to bat again. Australia won this series 4-0 as the Indians never really turned up.
#2 145, Adelaide (2014)
David Warner made his second test hundred against India during the 2014-15 Border Gavaskar series Down Under. He shared a brilliant stand of 180 for the third wicket with skipper Michael Clarke and went on to make 145 runs at a healthy strike rate of 88.95. Warner, along with his teammates, made the inexperienced Indian bowlers toil hard without any success.
It was an emotional knock as it came in the aftermath of Phil Hughes' tragic demise and Warner dedicated his hundred to 'his mate'. This was the Adelaide test match in which Virat Kohli famously led India for the first time in the longest format. Chasing 363 in the 4th innings, India fell short by 48 runs, handing the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 4-match series.
#3 101, Sydney (2015)
In the last Test of the 2014-15 Border Gavaskar Trophy, Davy Warner scored a fine 101 in the first innings, helping the Aussies post a massive total of 572 on the board. Warner shared a 200-run opening stand with Chris Rogers, who fell five short of his century. Warner played in the usual attacking style, ending with a strike rate of 88.59.
Ahead of the New Year's test, Warner acknowledged that it would be tough for him to play the game considering that it was at the same venue (Sydney Cricket Ground) where Phil Hughes was hit. The match eventually ended in a draw and the hosts won the series 2-0.