Australia star opener David Warner was feeling great after shutting out all the noise around his form with a brilliant attacking hundred against Pakistan on Day 1 of the first Test in Perth. Warner, who hit his 26th Test hundred in Perth, said that there was no better way to silence the critics than scoring runs for his side.
After reaching his century, Warner marked the milestone with his customary celebratory leap, relishing the applause from the crowd. In a unique gesture during the celebration, he placed his fingers on his lips, casting a glance upwards.
Notably, Warner’s ex-teammate, Mitchell Johnson, had questioned the Australian opener’s form and raised doubts about whether the star batter deserved a hero’s farewell. Johnson highlighted concerns about Warner’s recent struggles in the longer format and his connection to the 2018 ball-tampering controversy. However, in his 110th Test match, Warner responded emphatically, displaying his trademark aggressive approach by striking 15 fours and a substantial six in a 149-ball innings, remaining unbeaten until Tea on Day 1.
“Look, it’s my job to come here and score runs for my team. From the get-go, I was on my way, and along with Ussie Khawaja (Usman Khawaja), it was great to build up a partnership and put pressure on Pakistan. Now, I am in a partnership with Smudge (Smith),” Warner told broadcasters during the tea break.
During a conversation with former Australia opener Adam Gilchrist after the conclusion of the second session, Warner clarified that his gesture was merely a reaction to the criticism about his position in the team leading up to the Test.
“It was just another Test hundred for Australia. Always feels great. We need to put enough runs on the board to give the bowlers something to bowl at. Yeah, if put in the right areas, the wicket looks a nice one. You can do nothing about the criticism, but you have to put your head down and get into your work. Nothing better than getting runs and silencing the critics,” Warner added.
