Australia opener David Warner said he hoped to be remembered as an entertainer after retiring from cricket’s longest format at his home ground in the wake of a third Test victory over Pakistan on Saturday.
The 37-year-old, who retires as Australia’s fifth most prolific run-scorer of all time in Tests, made 57 runs in his final innings to take his country to the brink of victory and a series sweep over Pakistan.
Pakistan, looking to end a run of 16 successive losses in Australia since 1995, had added 47 runs to their overnight tally at the cost of their final three wickets, to be dismissed for 115 an hour before lunch.
A crowd of more than 24,000 at his home Sydney Cricket Ground rose for a final ovation as Warner left the field.
“It meant the world to me. I’ve given absolutely everything to play this game and to sacrifice a lot of things to be in the position that I am,” Warner said of the ovation.
It was a highly impressive career for an opener who was considered a limited overs specialist before he forced himself into the test team in late 2011 and stayed there for more than a decade by virtue of his run-scoring.
“I just want to be remembered probably as an entertainer. Somebody who came on the scene from whiteball Twenty20 cricket, somebody gave it gave it his all,” Warner told reporters.
“I’ve been authentic. I’ve never changed. I’ve said it how it is, and I still will. I believe in that, being true to yourself.
“Playing Test cricket, I’ve been brave, I’ve been bold. I’ve had to play the same way and just take it on. I’d just like to be remembered as someone who took the game on. Proud, passionate and left no stone unturned.”
There was no mention in the press conference of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that led to Warner being banned by Cricket Australia from elite cricket for a year, and from leadership positions for life.
Warner alluded to it, however, when he was asked for his reaction to the ovation he received from the crowd at his home Sydney Cricket Ground when he left the field for the final time in a test match.
“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs through my career. I’ve had to come back and overcome adversity. I’ve done that, I think, very, very well,” he said.
“I think today just showed to me that I do have a lot of support, and I’m very, very grateful for that.”
Warner credited his wife Candice with knocking off some of the rougher edges of his character and helping extend his international career.
Although he has retired from Tests and one-day internationals, that career is not over just yet.
Warner said he intended to play his final games for Australia at the T20 World Cup in June, when he will be seeking a second winners’ medal to match the two he has in the 50 overs game.
“Oh yeah, definitely that was my sort of finishing goal,” he added.
“My last hurrah was the Twenty20s. I started my career in Twenty20 Cricket and I’ll finish my career in Twenty20 cricket, I think it’s fitting.
“I really love the game, but most importantly, I want to win another World Cup for Australia.”
Brief scores
Australia: 299 all out and 130-2
Pakistan: 313 all out and 115 all out
Australia win by 8 wickets