David Warner: Will talent prevail over temper?

David Warner

The 26-year-old had never been the emblem of modesty. Humility was like a useless pencil to the painter who felt embarrassed to churn out mere sketches. His was a curiously interesting case of self-sanctioned excellence; and his ego once bruised, guaranteed indecorous attempts of healing.

Excuses of short temper are too meager to justify the actions which are exceedingly unbecoming of a professional. If the slightest of provocations succeed in incurring the wrath of an international cricketer, it is only apt to chuck him out as merely unprofessional. For all the stress that cricket offers, a calm mind is the minimum requirement for a player in pursuit of the national jersey.

Warner’s penchant for striking up arguments with almost anybody fails to flatter his appropriateness in the international arena. His volatility makes him a difficult customer to deal with, even for the Australian Board.

Recalled for the third Test, Warner is expected to feature in the playing eleven. If that’s the case, then Alistair Cook’s men must be keen to receive him with a cordial greeting. And if that hot-headed behavior at Pretoria is yet another indication of Warner’s vulnerability to distraction, we all may be in for a surge of adrenaline in the next few days.

What makes the call on Warner tough for Cricket Australia is his undeniable talent and insatiable appetite for success which promises a career no less illustrious than any of the greats.

Evidently, Warner’s stint in the baggy green has been a fairy tale as he exploded onto the international scene without even playing a single first-class match – the first man to do so since 1877. A dream T20 debut against South Africa in which he scored 89 off 43 balls was followed by a series of spectacular performances, which labelled him as a force to reckon with in limited overs cricket.

Glimpses of his immense aptitude were visible during his innings of 163 runs against Sri Lanka in the 2012 CB Series. While this innings boasted of extrovert aggression, a similar century against New Zealand in the Hobart Test of 2011 spoke volumes about his determination and perseverance. Although in an unsuccessful cause, Warner slogged his way to a patient century as he went on to become only the sixth player to carry his bat through the fourth innings of a Test match.

Whether off-field drama leaves him unscathed as he walks out into the middle or reprimands amplify his fortitude is unclear from his brutal 193 against South Africa A days after his suspension from the national team. Both ways, the right thing seems to have happened at the right time, and Cricket Australia needs him now more than ever.

Bitten by a failure bug, the batting department appears desperately in need of a centurion, and Warner has it in him to be their savior, provided his royal carnage at Pretoria wasn’t yet another stroke of luck.

No matter how professionally Cricket Australia tries to handle it, Warner’s case is a sensitive issue, more so because the person under the scanner possesses tremendous cricketing potential.

Cricket and discipline are inseparably intertwined and it is almost impossible to address them differently. The primary spot of bother for Cricket Australia is their recent collapse on various cricketing grounds. The lack is undeniable, so is the necessity. The hesitation is evident, the reasons prominent. Never before had any of the world’s most powerful cricket boards discovered itself in such a predicament.

How Cricket Australia answers this dilemma remains to be seen. Undoubtedly, the Aussies will be the trendsetters once again.