(Source X)
Sridharan Sriram, the former Indian all-rounder, ventured into coaching with various domestic teams such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh before making significant strides internationally. He joined forces with the Australian A team initially and subsequently earned a coaching position with the Australian national team under head coach Darren Lehmann.
In his role as spin bowling coach, Sriram played a pivotal part in mentoring players like David Warner, helping the Australian opener decipher the skills of Ravichandran Ashwin, who has dismissed Warner 11 times in Test matches. Recently, Sriram shared insights from his early days with the Australian setup, reflecting on candid discussions he had with Warner, as disclosed in a conversation on YO Mahesh’s YouTube channel.
“In my first interaction with David Warner, I said, ‘In Asia, in Test matches (only Tests, I’m not talking about white-ball), if you cannot step out and play or play the sweep, you are a sitting duck. Ashwin will get you out 10 times in 10 innings,” said Sriram.
He then recalled a moment when David Warner initially brushed off his suggestion, taking offense at his straightforward advice.
“He got offended. In the team meeting, he blasted me saying, ‘I’m such a successful IPL batsman, he’s saying I can’t make runs, etc. At that point the coach, Darren Lehmann, defended me. He said to Warner, ‘If what he’s saying is useful to you take it, otherwise leave it. But don’t do all this in public.’ He was still annoyed and kind of said, ‘No I’m such a successful player, I can’t change my game.’ So I left it at that,” Sriram said further.
Sridharan Sriram praises David Warner’s batting prowess in Test cricket.
“This is the quality of the great man he is. He brought up this conversation eight months later, telling me, ‘You told me back then, but I understand the value of it only now. I’m always beside the line and in white-ball cricket I wait for when I can play the cut. I get just a bit of width, and I will cut. The ball tends to slide on more. But here [in Test cricket], one ball spins and one slides on, and I always have a bat-pad gap. So I have to find a way [around this],” said Sriram.
David Warner concluded his ODI career after the World Cup, followed by stepping away from Test cricket post Australia’s clean sweep of Pakistan in a recent three-match series. His retirement from T20I cricket came after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Although he has retired from international cricket, Warner expressed readiness to return if called upon for the ICC Champions Trophy.
Initially recognized for his prowess in white-ball cricket, Warner admirably adapted his game to excel in Tests. His Test career amassed 8786 runs at an average of 44.60, including 26 centuries and 37 half-centuries. Notably, he accumulated 1218 runs against India across 21 Test matches, featuring four centuries and three half-centuries.
