"Don't worry about the noise" - David Warner after Australian batter hits back at his comments ahead of BGT 2024-25 3rd Test
Former Australia opening batter David Warner has responded to Marnus Labushcagne's comments regarding the former's criticism after the second Border-Gavaskar series Test at the Adelaide Oval. While the right-handed batter regained some form to record a crucial fifty, Warner was still unconvinced.
The former player, now pundit, highlighted Labuschagne's tendency to lose his wicket by holing out to gully, especially after building a start. He was dismissed in a similar fashion during the second Test, where he found Yashasvi Jaiswal wide off the slip cordon after scoring 64 runs off 126 deliveries.
Labuschagne was asked about Warner's comments regarding him ahead of the third Test in Brisbane. The batter replied with a sly dig, asking Warner to do his research, and asserted that he does not play to impress anyone.
"I'd like him to check how many times I’ve been caught at gully. Because apparently I get out there every week. I’ve looked back and I think I can only remember getting caught at gully twice. So I might have to have a look at Bull’s comment there. But like I said, everyone’s here to write newspapers, write articles,” Labuschagne told reporters (via Fox Sports).
Warner offered his opinion after Labuschagne hit back at him in the media. The former player remarked that he should not take the criticism seriously and focus on converting his starts into something significant.
“I reckon his comments would have been tongue-in-cheek. More taking the Mickey. We want to see Marnus score, we want to see a big hundred. It’s his home venue. He knows this ground better than anyone else," Warner said ahead of the third Test in Brisbane (via The West Australian).
"It’s more when he gets to 50, he wants to play that shot (to the gully region). I don’t think it’s a shot for him to want to play when he’s 50. You want to try and get on with it, but I sort of feel when he is dabbing outside off stump that is not when he is at his best. He is still poking. For Marnus, just concentrate on batting. We know he loves eating cricket ball sandwiches. I want to pencil him in for a big hundred. We love him, but don’t worry about the noise, what we’re saying,” Warner added.
Labuschagne needed a spark to ease some of the pressure off his back. The fifty in Adelaide came at a great time, as he had recorded seven single-digit scores in his last eight innings prior to the second Test.
Marnus Labuschagne has a dominant record at the Gabba for Australia
David Warner has not held back against his former teammates, with several members apart from Labuschagne being on the receiving end of his comments on air. The No. 3 batter needs more runs under his belt to get the monkey completely off his back.
He has a brilliant opportunity to silence the critics in the third Test at The Gabba. With a brilliant record, which includes 497 runs in 10 innings at an average of 62.13. and two hundreds, the batter could set the tempo for the latter half of the series, currently tied at 1-1.