"It wasn't normal" - When a 16-year-old David Warner stunned an Australian international cricketer by smashing 2 sixes batting right-handed
Former Australian cricketer Brad Haddin recently shared a lesser-known incident about David Warner. When Haddin batted with a 16-year-old Warner in first-grade cricket for Eastern Suburbs, Warner stunned him by changing his batting style and smacking the bowler for two sixes.
David Warner bats left-handed, but he is among the few batters who can hit the ball well while batting right-handed as well. Many fans would have watched a clip from Bangladesh Premier League 2019, where Warner turned into a right-handed batter to tackle Chris Gayle's off-spin.
In a chat with Willow Talk, Brad Haddin recalled how Warner wanted to have some fun while batting in the middle and decided to bat right-handed during a match. Haddin was in disbelief after seeing a left-handed batter switch into a right-handed batter and then hit two sixes.
"I remember batting with him a couple of times. I would have been around 22. I think I'd played a couple of one-dayers for Australia. And I remember batting with him at one stage, he goes, 'I'm gonna bat right-handed.' And it's before Twenty 20 had come in, and all the ramp shots, you had Ryan Campbell and the Dilscoop doing a bit," Haddin recalled.
"I said, 'Well, you're not. No one that bats, just changes their hand.' He goes, 'Well, I am.' And as I walked to the non-striker's end, I thought, 'Well, he's not going to because people can't do that.' Anyway. Hits the next couple of balls for six right-handed, he goes, 'See I told you,'" Haddin concluded.
When David Warner went to Haddin after hitting two sixes right-handed, the latter had no words. He added:
"I don't know what to say because it wasn't normal."
Brad Haddin names the 1 thing which helped David Warner stand out
During the same chat, Brad Haddin spoke about his experience of playing with David Warner when the latter was 16. Haddin had already played international cricket by then, but he did not stop playing grade cricket for Eastern Suburbs.
Talking about the thing which helped Warner stand out, Haddin said:
"I've played grade cricket with David for Eastern Suburbs. I remember coming into first grade, and he was only 16 years old, but the one thing that stood him out to everyone else is he was cocky. He always tried to find a way to take the game on."
Brad Haddin and David Warner were members of the Australian squad that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup. While Haddin has now retired, Warner is still part of the Australian team in all three formats.