"It looks like his best days are behind him" - Simon Katich on David Warner's future in Test cricket

Former Australian opener Simon Katich conceded that David Warner doesn't look like his usual self, evidenced by a 'defeated' look after his dismissal in the first innings of the second Test against the West Indies. The 47-year-old suggested that the swashbuckling opener's best days in Test cricket are over.

Although Warner got starts in most of the innings in the two-Test series against the West Indies, he hasn't converted them into big scores. The southpaw's best score in the series has been 48 in four innings.

He has not scored a Test ton since January 2020 when he did so against New Zealand.

Speaking on SEN, Katich recalled the left-hander saying he's up for Test cricket but doesn't agree, given he can't break the shackles. The retired cricketer feels there are serious questions at play about the veteran's red-ball credentials.

Katich said:

"I think I’m right back in my thinking about David Warner and his dismissal in the first innings, it just doesn’t look right. There’s that look of, ‘I’m defeated. He almost looks like he’s defeated by the game.

"He can’t take a trick at the moment, he denies it, he says he’s up for it; he says he’s up for the cricket. But the way he’s playing his cricket at the moment, it’s not the David Warner we knew. He’s a 36-year-old man. I hate to say it, but it looks like his best days are behind him."

He continued:

"People point to his performance with the white ball but I don’t think that’s the same thing as Test match cricket, you now have some serious questions to ask. With the tour of India and tour of England coming up, he’s never made a lot of runs in India in Test cricket and didn’t make a run in England in the last Ashes, it was a historically low tally."

The New South Wales opener averages a mere 24 and 26 in India and England, respectively without a Test ton in either nation. He had a forgettable outing in the 2019 Ashes series, averaging an eye-watering 9.50.

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David Warner likely to be retained for South Africa Tests

David Warner. (Image Credits: Getty)

Despite being under scrutiny, the southpaw is likely to retain his spot for the three-Test series against South Africa, starting next week.

The Proteas' pace attack, consisting of Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen, is likely to present a challenge to the home side.

Australia strengthened their hold at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) with a 419-run win over the West Indies in the second Test in Adelaide. They have three Tests against the Proteas, followed by four more in India in February 2023.