Watch: David Warner’s right-handed switch in preparations for the BGT challenge at the nets

David Warner is in for his most strenuous challenge to date. Having arrived for another difficult tour of India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the ageing left-hander has a horrible Test record to resurrect in Indian conditions. 

With his reflexes seemingly on the wane, Warner not only has to overcome another trial by the best spin attack in the world but also fight his body and eyes to conjure up a successful final Test tour to the subcontinent. 

The 36-year-old averages just shy of 47 after 101 Tests for Australia but the aggregate falls to a mere 24.25 from his previous two tours of India. The player has managed only three scores of fifty and above from his past 16 innings on Indian shores, finding R Ashwin and company a challenge too big on turning wickets. 

The looming four-Test rubber is David Warner’s final chance to make an impact on Australia’s fortunes in India, having already announced that he is into his last year as a Test match cricketer. The experienced batter is sweating it out in the nets on arrival to India, opting for an interesting method to set his preparations right. 

Warner seen batting right-handed at the nets 

David Warner was seen operating right-handed as opposed to his usual left-handed self during a net session in Alur for Australia’s initial round of training sessions before switching base to Nagpur for the first Test, starting Thursday (February 9). 

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The left-hander was caught on camera by cricket.com.au journalist Louis Cameron to be switching right-handed for one delivery and then going back to being a left-handed player for the next ball in an interesting pattern and form of practice. 

Extraordinary skill – @davidwarner31 switching between batting left and right handed in the nets at Alur #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/6cHhJAcvSm

— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) February 5, 2023

While the veteran player hasn’t personally explained the whys and hows of his move at the nets, his command and control over both modes of operations was quite impressive. 

After executing a full-blooded heave intended to go over mid-wicket as a left-hander, Warner turned a right-hander and advanced perfectly at the ball to hit it down the ground. On both occasions, he was facing one of the spinners available for net duties. 

It would be interesting to see if Warner can do the right-hand switch at some stage of the series to perhaps avoid the roughs created outside the left-hander’s off-stump and find the most amazing means to survive and score runs.