David Warner will retire from Test cricket on top, after Australia officially wrestled back the world number one ICC ranking from India.
It follows Pat Cummins’ men beating Pakistan 3-0 in their series on home soil, and India finishing 1-1 with South Africa.
Warner, 37, enjoyed one final Test innings at the crease on Saturday in front of family and friends at the SCG at Australia chased down a total of 130 for victory on day four.
Warner finished on 57, finally undone from a turning delivery from Sajid Khan with Australia requiring just 11 runs to win.
It means he finished his career with 8786 runs, an average of just over 44, 37 Test 50s and 26 centuries.
Cricket fans turned out in their thousands to celebrate the finale to David Warner’s Test career, with Australia celebrating taking the No.1 ranking on the same day
Warner said it was the perfect way to finish his career, on top after a golden run by the Australian team.
‘It’s pretty much a dream come true to win 3-0 and cap off what has been a great 18 months to two years with the Australian cricket team,’ he said.
‘Going back to the World Test Championship win, Ashes series draw and then the World Cup.
‘Then to come here, finish 3-0 is an outstanding achievement and I am just proud to be with a bunch of great cricketers here.’
But Warner knows that Sandpapergate and his role in the ball tampering scandal in Cape Town in 2018 that resulted in a 12 month ban from the sport will always stick.
It will be his one great regret and he hopes he did enough on return to earn redemption in the eyes of the Australian public.
“Over the years I know I haven’t been everyone’s cup of tea but for me I’ve played the game as hard as I can and to the best of my ability. Hopefully I’ve regained that trust in everyone,” Warner said on Fox Cricket.
In a touching moment, Warner also took a moment to honour the plaque at the SCG dedicated to his good friend and former opening partner Phil Hughes, who tragically died in 2014 after being struck in the head by a short ball.
The 37-year-old was the main attraction on Saturday as the Aussies looked to complete a series clean sweep against Pakistan
He strode out onto the pitch that had a special logo painted on the outfield, white lettering reading ‘Thanks Dave’ along with a silhouette of his famous celebration leap each time he plundered a century.
And the slashing opening batsman finished his career the way he started, playing all the shots including the odd reverse sweep to notch up the 63rd Test 50 of his career, to go along with his 26 centuries.
Warner went off at the lunch break with 52 runs on the board and the finish line in sight, gifting his batting gloves to one lucky junior cricket fan as he made his way back up the pavilion.
As he came off the field for the final time, another young fan got the batting gloves along with his helmet.
Warner set the tone from the third ball he faced on Saturday by walking down the wicket at quick Mir Hamza.
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He twice reverse-swept spinner Sajid Khan to the boundary in an entertaining but calculated approach to negating the rough outside off stump.
There was also a touch of the bizarre with Warner missing an attempted reverse-scoop off Hasan Ali.
Warner was granted some luck on 16 when he almost chopped on, while Aamir Jamal dropped a very difficult chance at mid-off on 25.
But as is always the case with Warner when the ball came out of the middle of the bat it was imposing for the opposition.
His shot of the day was a crunching four through the covers off the back foot against Hamza, while other boundaries have come down off Sajid.
The left-hander’s running between the wickets was a feature of his innings, as it has been throughout his career.
David Warner will retire from Test cricket on top, after Australia officially wrestled back the world number one ranking from India
The father of three has retired from Test and ODI cricket to spend more time with his family
Warner has been a polarising figure but will still finish as one of the all-time greats of the Australian Test cricket side
The polarising star made his Test debut in 2011 against New Zealand, and quickly forged a dominant reputation at the top of the order.
Renowned for his ruthless nature, Warner has endured plenty of criticism across his career, which intensified following ‘Sandpapergate’ in Cape Town back in 2018.
But the father of three bounced back from his 12-month ban from the sport – and has walked away from the Test arena on his terms.
In a series of tributes online, Warner’s teammates praised the 37-year-old’s decorated career across all three formats of the sport.
‘He is tenacious, and has always done things his way,’ Cummins said, with Josh Hazlewood adding: ‘Davey is an outstanding competitor, who has the ability to turn contests on their head.’
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey weighed in with: ‘his record speaks for itself’ and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis echoed the comments of coach Andrew McDonald by labelling Warner as ‘Australia’s best ever player across Test, ODI and T20 cricket.’
Sadly, there was no sporting fairytale for Warner and good mate Usman Khawaja, who was out for a duck on Saturday.
Warner made his Test debut in 2011 against New Zealand and quickly forged a fearsome reputation as a world class batsman
Warner married former Australian ironwoman Candice Falzon in 2015, and the couple are said to have a $10million property portfolio
The veteran’s approach took some of the sting out of the situation for Australia, after Usman Khawaja was trapped LBW by Sajid in the first over.
After he and childhood friend Warner embraced before walking out on the field, Khawaja reviewed the decision, but was out on a narrow umpire’s call.
That left Marnus Labuschagne to play anchor to Warner, while still offering a few attacking shots of his own against the spin.
The runs came after Australia set up a shot at a 3-0 series whitewash on Saturday morning, bowling out Pakistan for 115.
After Josh Hazlewood (4-16) ran through Pakistan on day three, the tourists offered a brief resistance on Saturday morning.
Mohammad Rizwan (28) and Aamir (18) put on 42 for the eighth wicket, but Pakistan folded quickly once Nathan Lyon had the former caught at leg slip.
Lyon also bowled Hasan to end the innings, finishing with figures of 3-36.
