"He was also getting told to play a certain way" - Usman Khawaja hails 'team player' David Warner
Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja has hailed David Warner as a team man, revealing that he was told by certain people to play in a specific way. However, he acknowledged that it's frustrating when people keep targeting Warner.
Tributes have poured in as Warner is currently playing the final Test of his career. Having made his first Test appearance in 2011, the 37-year-old has established himself as one of the most aggressive openers in the format. His home record is especially formidable, mustering over 5000 out of 8600 runs with a best score of 335*.
Speaking after Day 2 of the third Test against Pakistan in Sydney, Khawaja admitted that Warner got an almost unplayable ball from Agha Salman. Reflecting on his opening partner's career, he said Warner has always put his team first. As quoted by Perth Now, Khawaja stated:
"This series he's batted beautifully. He just got a ripper of a ball today, which you just have to cop sometimes. For a long period of time there, he was in people's faces and doing stuff. But that wasn't always Davey. He was also getting told to play a certain way, by the coaching staff, by people around certain points.
"He's such a team player, if you ask him to do something he'll do it for the team. That's the frustrating part when people come at him."
The southpaw also pointed out how the New South Welshman has been a lot jovial on the field unlike before. He said:
"You've seen a very different Davey Warner since he's come back. He's scored runs, he's done it his own way, he's played the game in a really good way. You can tell he's smiling a lot on the field, he's doing it Davey Warner's way, which has been really good to see in the last part of his career."
"Hopefully, we've got a lot more time spending together" - Usman Khawaja
Khawaja also admitted that it will be sad not to play with the southpaw anymore, but hopes to spend time over golf and commentating. He told the aforementioned publication:
"It's really good to watch that people are getting around him because I believe he deserves it, I really do. We won't get to play again after this. It'll definitely be sad. Even talking about it right now, I think about the journey that we've been on and it gets quite emotional. Hopefully, we've got a lot more time spending together, on the golf course or commentating or whatever it might be."
Australia, meanwhile, reached 116-2 by stumps on Day 2 at the Sydney Cricket Ground against Pakistan.