Has there ever been an Australian sportsman quite like David Warner? A figure as much known for his brash attitude as he is his cricketing ability, Warner has established himself as one of modern cricket’s true greats.
Since exploding onto the scene as a prodigious talent, Warner has helped Australia to numerous successes whilst earning a stack of accolades himself, including being named in both the International Cricket Council’s Test and ODI Team of the Decade for the 2011-2020 period.
The mercurial Warner has endured a career of sensational, record-breaking highs and potentially career-ending lows – all in the span of a 21-year professional playing career. Truthfully, Warner’s career resembles that of five players, not one, which is a testament to the fascinating journey he has been on since debuting in first-class cricket as a 15-year-old.
On that note, we’re taking a look at the playing career and personal life of one of Australia’s most thoroughly captivating athletes.
In this David Warner Story…
David Warner Quick Facts
| Name: | David Warner |
| Age: | 36 |
| Date of Birth: | 27 October 1986 |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Height: | 5 feet 7 inches / 178cm |
| Weight: | 78 kgs |
| Net Worth: | $11.5 million (estimated) |
| Instagram: | @davidwarner31 – 10M followers |
Who Is David Warner?
David Andrew Warner is a professional cricketer who plays for the Australian national team and the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL). A former captain of Australia in a Test and limited overs capacity, Warner plies his trade as a left-handed opening batsman. Widely considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era, Warner has been pivotal to Australia’s triumphs at the 2015 Cricket World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup (where he finished as the Player of the Tournament), and the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final.
Born in Paddington, Sydney, Warner is an authentic example of a cricketer who went from rags to riches. Growing up in Matraville, near Paddington, Warner’s family endured a working class upbringing where their basic needs were hardly met on a weekly basis. At 10, Warner received his first cricket bet and treasured it closely and cautiously in fear of being unable to replace it monetarily if it broke. Warner would begin working part-time as a teenager, taking up jobs that would finish as late as midnight in addition to putting his everything into cricket.
David Warner’s Cricket Career
Early Career
David Warner’s pivotal junior years were spent at Sydney Coastal Cricket Club, which is where a then 13-year-old Warner was surprisingly asked by his coach to switch to right-handed batting because he struggled to hit the ball anywhere except into the air while batting left-handed. A season later, his mother, Sheila Warner, encouraged her son to return to batting left-handed, leading to Warner breaking the Under 16’s run scoring record for the club.
At 15, Warner made his first-class debut for Eastern Suburbs Club and would go on to tour with the Under-19 Australian team and perform strongly for the side. Building on that, Warner began to establish himself as an exceptional fielder and aggressive batsmen when he ended the 2005-06 Australia Under-19s tour of India as their leading run-scorer.
Representing New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield, Warner caught the attention of Australian selectors after taking the Australian domestic scene by storm. In 2008 alone, a then 22-year-old Warner was a fearsome opponent of all bowlers for his decisiveness, smooth hitting, and unmatched power, with his 165 runs in a One-Day match against Tasmania in November that year proving to be a major highlight.
Australia’s national selectors couldn’t ignore Warner any longer, and fast-tracked him into the senior Australian team for his first T20 International against South Africa in January 2009. His debut could not have gone any better: A near-century with 89 runs off 43 balls to cap off a special occasion as the first Australian in 132 years to be selected for a national team in any format without experience in first-class cricket.
Becoming A Household Name
Having been one of the few shining lights in an underperforming Australia side at the 2009 World T20 in England, Warner would first establish himself in Australia’s One Day International (ODI) side and eventually in the Test side after debuting against New Zealand in 2011. A 123 run haul from an unbeaten Warner was not enough to deny New Zealand a famous win, but his patience in insurmountable conditions won over plenty of fans and displayed a new edge to his batting style. Warner would begin to transition his excellent T20 form to Tests, with a career best 180 against an underwhelming Indian bowling attack and a spectacular 119 against an in-form South African bowling pack the standout performances from him in 2012.
His 523 runs for Australia in the 2013-14 Ashes Series was bettered merely a year later in a three-match Test series against the No.1 ranked team South Africa where he notched a mind-blowing 543 runs from six innings at an average of 90.50, which included three hundreds. A run of nine half-centuries in 16 innings from then on led to Warner becoming a certified superstar in the world of cricket, with his success in India (namely an IPL title for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016) accelerating his popularity even further.
Warner would finish as Australia’s second highest run-scorer at the 2015 World Cup, amassing 345 runs in 8 games including a magnificent 178 against Afghanistan that helped Australia to post the highest ever World Cup total of 417. A year later, Warner levelled the record for most hundreds by an Australian in a calendar year after making five centuries in 2016.
The South Africa Ball Tampering Incident
The events of March 25, 2018 would set in motion what would come to be the toughest period of David Warner’s career thus far. The incident: Australia’s opening batsman Cameron Bancroft is seen using yellow sandpaper for controversial ball tampering during South Africa’s second innings. Australia captain Steve Smith alongside vice-captain Warner, are forced to step down from their leadership positions after the International Cricket Council found Smith guilty of being “party to a decision to attempt to change the condition of the ball”.
Smith had admitted that the “leadership group” had discussed ball tampering during the lunch break, but did not name those involved. Smith and Warner were subsequently banned from all international and domestic matches for Australia for one year, with Australian cricket’s brand tarnished by the blatantly poor act of sportsmanship.
Warner’s struggles to come to terms with his ineligibility for a leadership position since returning to the fold of international cricket has been exacerbated by his continued strong form in an Australian shirt and the fact fellow ‘Sandpapergate’ conspirator Steve Smith is the side’s vice-captain. Moreover, the effect of the ball tampering incident (or ‘Sandpapergate’) on Warner’s image has been long-lasting, and whilst he continues to cop the brunt of the abuse for the situation, his family’s lives have been affected by it also.
In an interview with Triple M’s Summer Breakfast show, Warner’s wife, Ironwoman Candice Falzon reaffirmed her husband’s frustrations at not having his leadership ban revoked whilst explaining the impact of the incident on their young family.
“We’ve lived with this pain, through this pain since 2018. And it gets to a point where enough is enough. We have been through hell… and the disappointing thing for David is this has been dragged out for so long,” she said.
“It is still raw, we go to the cricket so often to watch David play and there is always people yelling things out in the crowd, or at my daughters who proudly wear their dad’s T-shirt with their father’s name on the back.
“The fact my daughters have to cop abuse because of incidents that happened in the past is not fair. My husband David, he always puts family first, he’s fiercely protective of myself and our three girls.
“Cricket is not everything, cricket is what he does, but cricket does not define him and the person he is, the fact there was a lack of player welfare and no welfare about David and our family speaks volumes.”
Later Career
Despite his 12-month ban from Australian international cricket following Sandpapergate, Warner quickly showed he hadn’t lost his batting prowess upon returning as he finished the 2019 ODI World Cup as the second-highest run-scorer. A 335 not out against Pakistan in Adelaide later that year would put a resounding stamp on his return to the team, with the score also being the second-highest individual score for an Australian Test batter behind Matthew Hayden’s 380 against Zimbabwe.
Australia’s first-ever T20 World Cup in 2021 saw Warner lead his side in style as he finished the campaign in the UAE as Player of the Tournament. The now 36-year-old is currently competing against England for the 2023 Ashes Series, where his latest half-century helped Australia to a solid score on day one of the second Ashes Test.
What type of player is David Warner?
Sometimes referred to as ‘Pocket Rocket Dynamite’ for his lethal batting style and small stature, David Warner is a left-handed top-order batter. Adept at going all-out against opponents and pummelling them into submission, Warner savours cutting the ball in front of and behind the square. He also was a pioneer of the ‘switch hit’, a reverse sweep used in limited-overs cricket that effectively disrupts a bowler’s line and length. In addition, Warner is more than just a handy part-time bowler. His bowling style is unique in the sense that he mixes off-spin bowling with his more usual leg-spinners.
Mentally, as a player there is an irreplicable fight in Warner, which seems to have been forged through a tough upbringing and years of resilience in the face of setbacks and intense scrutiny. In addition to his clear and aggressive approach as a batsman, Warner’s doggedness as a player is a factor that helps him come through for his team in times of trouble.
David Warner Career Stats
Often regarded as one of cricket’s modern-day greats, David Warner has accumulated 27,852 runs across exploits in Tests, ODIs, T20Is, and First-class club cricket. A natural born match-winner, Warner is essential to Australia, who win more than 70% of their matches when Warner is in the starting team. His fearless batting style has inspired youngsters to take on games in a similar manner, particularly because it has come with accolades and results in droves.
Having successfully amassed 25 Test centuries, 19 ODI centuries and one T20I century, Warner has become known for his high-scoring feats. In January 2017, Warner became the fourth player to win the Allan Border Medal more than once and also win the award in back-to-back years. Later that year in September 2017, he played in his 100th ODI and became the first batsman for Australia and 8th batsman overall to score a century in his 100th ODI.
Recent feats
During a recent match, Warner showcased his brilliance with a whirl wind performance.
He smashed three sixes and five fours in a brisk 35-ball 52 to propel the Capitals to a total of 5-191. However, his innings was cut short by a remarkable catch from Matheesha Pathirana, who executed a stunning one-handed catch at short fine leg to dismiss Warner. Additionally, fellow Australian, Mitch Marsh displayed aggressive intent at the crease but fell victim to a superb yorker from Pathirana, underscoring the latter’s skill with the ball.
𝗦𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 🤩
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 31, 2024
Matheesha Pathirana takes a one hand diving catch to dismiss David Warner who was on song tonight
Watch the match LIVE on @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia 💻📱#TATAIPL | #DCvCSK | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/sto5tnnYaj
David and Fans
In March 2024, tensions escalated between Warner and fans which resulted in an altercation. Despite gearing up for his final bilateral international cricket series against New Zealand, Warner, the Australian opener, anticipates a less-than-warm farewell from Black Caps fans in Wellington and Auckland. Having retired from Test and one-day cricket, the 37-year-old has opted to postpone his farewell from the shortest format of the game until after the World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States in June.
Recalling past incidents, Warner candidly criticised local fans as “derogatory and pretty vulgar” following instances of abuse directed at the Australian team during their Test and ODI tour of New Zealand in 2016. Nonetheless, Warner expressed his genuine enjoyment of playing in New Zealand, emphasizing his dedication to delivering top-notch performances and contributing to the sport.
Warner also articulated his intention to prolong his cricketing career by participating in Twenty franchise leagues worldwide for “another couple of years”. Despite also engaging in media work to share his insights on the game, Warner clarified his disinterest in pursuing a political career.
David Warner Personal Life
David Warner Controversies
David Warner’s name has been associated with controversy from way back in his early days in Australia cricket. His difficult off-field antics and tough on-field persona seem to have earned him a reputation for being hot headed. Warner’s 2013 alone was filled with enough negative blotches on his record to leave many pondering how long Australian cricket would put up with the then up-and-coming star for.
An outspoken individual, Warner is never one to shy away from sharing his honest valuation – which is something Australian journalist Robert Craddock discovered in 2013 after writing a piece about the Indian Premier League’s negative side. Warner’s photo appeared near the article and provoked the cricket to fire off a few abusive and ill-tempered tweets. Add to this Warner’s dropping from the 2013 Ashes squad after allegedly brawling with England’s Joe Root (which earned Warner a $11,500 fine), and an on-field altercation with South Africa ‘A’ wicket-keeper Thami Tsolekile, and Warner certainly had a massive 2013 – for better or for worse.
Warner’s on-field behaviour began to leave many of his opposition players irked, with former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe calling for a yellow-card and red-card system identical to association football to be introduced to international cricket to stifle Warner’s “thuggish” on-field behaviour. Crowe went as far as referring to Warner as “the most juvenile cricketer I have seen on a cricket field”.
In Australia’s now-infamous 2018 Test series against South Africa, Warner had a heated exchange with South Africa Wicket-keeper Quinton De Kock after the latter allegedly made a vulgar comment about Warner’s wife Candice. Waner’s reaction led to him being restrained by teammates Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith, and eventually being charged with bringing the game to disrepute by the International Cricket Council. The South Africa series seemed to get worse and worse for Warner, who responded to goading from a spectator with some heated words before the spectator was ejected from the match. Keep in mind, this was all before the Sandpapergate scandal went on to dominate global headlines.
After undergoing such extreme highs and lows, it’s no wonder Warner has taken to mellowing in the twilight years of his career.
David Warner: Children’s Book Author
Legendary Australian batsman might be known for his assertive batting style, but to the younger generation of cricket fans, Warner is perhaps known for co-authoring the ‘Kaboom Kid’ series from 2014 to 2016. The collection of eight books aligned with Warner’s ambition to inspire the next generation of children to take up cricket and although the details of the books are largely fictional, the stories capture the essence of his childhood aspirations to be a professional cricketer.
David Warner, TikTok Sensation
You likely wouldn’t picture David Warner, the notoriously hotheaded Australian cricketer, to be a TikTok savant. But just one look at his page, @davidwarner31, would suggest otherwise. The dynamic Australian opener has taken to the social media platform to publish videos of he and his family’s dance moves, often to the rhythm of Indian songs – which is only adding to his already well-established popularity within India. He currently has 4.8M followers and 299.5M views on his account.
David Warner Relationship History
A respectable family man off the field, David Warner has been married to Australian surf-life saver, ironwoman and model Candice Falzon since April 2015. The couple, who had their first child Ivy Mae Warner in September 2014, have been together for several years in support of each other’s sporting careers and professional aspirations. The pair welcomed a second daughter named Indi Rae to their young family in 2016, and have since become known as a household that travels a lot in support of Warner’s cricketing globetrotting career.
David Warner, Entrepreneur
Behind-the-scenes of his accomplishments as an international cricketer for Australia, David Warner harnesses his entrepreneurial spirit towards investing. The 36-year-old has built up a substantial portfolio, which includes six properties shared between him and his wife Candice, a major stake in successful Tasmanian company ‘666’ Vodka, and several other stocks.
David Warner Net Worth
A regular member of the Australian cricket setup, David Warner has accrued much of his wealth off the back of his cricketing triumphs on the international and club stages. His current net worth is approximately $11.5 million, and stems from a mixture of his investments and his cricketing contracts.