David Warner silences critics, kickstarts farewell Test series with sensational hundred | AUS vs PAK

Australian opener David Warner, who is playing his farewell Test series started off Day 1 of the 1st Test in Perth with a blitzkrieg century. Warner took on the Pakistani bowlers right from the word go, and along with Usman Khawaja, he stitched together an impressive partnership of 126 runs for the first wicket.The 37-year-old took just 125 balls to reach the triple-figure mark and celebrated the milestone with his signature leap.

Warner gives apt response to former teammate with a century

David Warner was under a lot of pressure because of his meagre returns in the past two years. However, the George Bailey-led selection committee supported the star opener's inclusion in the starting lineup for their home summer's first Test.

After Pat Cummins won the toss and decided to bat first, Warner punished everything loose, and there were plenty of freebies on offer from the inexperienced Pakistan pace bowling attack in the first session. En route to his 26th career century and his first since January 2020, Warner hit 14 fours and 1 six.

What Mitchell Johnson had said

Recently, veteran Australian fast bowler, Mitchell Johnson, questioned Warner's place in the side owing to the southpaw's poor recent form and his role in 2018's 'sandpapergate' ball-tampering scandal. The former fast bowler queried why Warner was able to nominate his own retirement date.

"As we prepare for David Warner's farewell series, can somebody please tell me why?" wrote Johnson in a column for The West Australian.

"Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his own retirement date. And why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero's send-off? It's been five years and David Warner has still never really owned the ball-tampering scandal."