Australian cricket team opening batsman David Warner showed his mettle in the recently-concluded Test series against Pakistan.
The veteran opener brought back the days with two crafted centuries across the two Test matches.
In the first match in Brisbane, Warner slammed a convincing 154 – a knock that showed he is willing to dig it out and offer durability.
And then came the record-breaking 335* in the Day-Night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
That was a redemption of sorts for Warner, who underwent a lot in 2018 post the ball-tampering scandal.
And more importantly, after a forgettable Ashes 2019 series, where he mustered 95 runs in five Tests at 9.50.
After all the highs in the T20Is recently, the making of Warner 2.0 in Tests was always on offer.
This not only adds more confidence in him, but gives Australia the edge in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.
Warner registered many records after his mammoth innings in the pink-ball Test.
He surged ahead of Sir Don Bradman and Mark Taylor on the list of highest Test scores for Australia.
His knock is now only behind Matthew Hayden’s 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003.
The epic knock was also the seventh triple hundred by an Australian, and the first for the country since Michael Clarke’s SCG heroics against India in 2012.
The southpaw slammed 39 fours and one six.
This was also his 23rd career Test ton as he went on to equal current head coach Justin Langer’s tally.
Warner has amassed 6,947 runs in 81 Tests at 48.58.
Warner is a real deal at home and he loves batting. Most of his Test centuries have all come on home conditions.
Here we look at Warner’s career-defining knocks in Test cricket.
Warner slams 180 against India at Perth in 2012
This was the third Test match of the series between Australia and India.
The visitors were under the mat after being all-out for a paltry 161 in 60.2 overs.
The much-famed Indian batting line-up failed to stand up against the Aussie bowling unit with Ben Hilfenhaus taking 4/43.
Australia needed to score quality runs and put pressure on India.
It was Warner’s 180 that stood the test of times.
The left-handed batsman, who was earlier known for scoring faster than just consuming time, got the figures in just 159 deliveries. He hit 20 fours and five towering sixes at a strike-rate of 113.20.
What stood out was the 214-run opening stand alongside Ed Cowan (74).
Warner is often at his absolute best when he is supported well from the other end and Cowan contributed immensely to his heroics. Australia were bowled out for 369.
However, India were bowled out for 171, with Hilfenhaus claiming four more.
Australia won the Test by an innings and 37 runs.
Warner hits 253 against New Zealand at Perth in 2015
Warner had created an aura of himself during this phase of his career.
He was this aggressive bloke, who decimated sides single-handedly.
This inning was massive on many accounts.
It was his maiden double hundred in Tests and that helped him break free from the baby rapid fire tons.
This massive inning came at the WACA Ground in November 2015, when he batted for nearly seven hours in a composing 253.
Warner being himself, still managed to score in a fashion he enjoyed. He scored at a strike-rate of 88.46, with 24 fours and two sixes rebounding off his bat.
This century was the third successive one and the mightier of the three against the Kiwis. The match was drawn despite Australia managing 559/9d in the first innings.
Warner slams an emotional 145 against India at the Adelaide Oval in 2014
The emotional toll on the Australians was huge after Phillip Hughes’s tragic death.
Just 12 days after Hughes’ tragedy, the Test team returned to cricket at the Adelaide Oval against India.
Warner opened the innings and in a in a blink of an eye, he raced to 28 from 13 balls, with five boundaries.
The dazzling batsman moved past 50, and soon after he looked to the heavens as he reached 63.
It was the score forever linked with Hughes.
The emotions overflowed again when in the second session he scored his century.
His trademark leap was followed by a skyward look and there was a big hug from his captain, Michael Clarke.
The opener went on to hit 145 at a strike-rate of 88.95.
The close Test saw Australia win by 48 runs. Warner scored another century in the second innings to be the real saviour.
Warner’s magnificent 112 versus Bangladesh, Dhaka, 2017
This was a historic Test for Bangladesh, who went on to beat Australia for the first time.
The main test for Australia was to battle the Bangladeshi spinners at large.
The southpaw had earlier had his issues against spin-bowling in Asian conditions.
In the first innings of the series in Dhaka, the opener was out for eight, as the Aussies mustered only 217 in reply to Bangladesh’s 260.
The Tigers managed 221 next and set Australia a target of 265. It was gettable but also difficult against the spinners.
Aussies needed a fourth-inning hero and Warner arrived in style.
The dashing opener put on a masterclass against the spinners.
He went on to advance down the wicket confidently and carved out a stunning hundred from just 121 balls.
Later on, the star batsman agreed that this was his finest in Baggy Green.
His 112 could have been enough to hand Australia a victory.
However, it was a match in which none of his teammates reached 50.
His magnificent hand will forever be remembered as it also paved for another century in Chittagong.
Warner smashes 335* against Pakistan, November, 2019
The in-form senior player scored his maiden Test triple century as Australia continued to dominate Pakistan and win their sixth Day-Night Test in the history of the sport.
The swashbuckling batsman hit an unbeaten 335 from 418 balls. It was the 10th highest individual score overall.
His mega show helped Australia declare their first innings on 589-3.
The highlight of the innings was his record 361-run stand for the second wicket alongside Marnus Labuschagne.
Warner, who was caught off a no-ball on 226 off the bowling of Musa Khan, went on to smash 39 fours and a six. He spent 551 minuted at the crease.
Pakistan were bundled for 302 and 239 to lose by an innings and 48 runs.