Watch: David Warner bludgeoned Chris Gayle for three consecutive boundaries in the 2019 BPL, swapping his usual stance to bat as a right-hander.
As the challenge of facing R Ashwin in India looms once more for the Australia Test batters, Warner has been spotted practising batting right-handed in the nets. Switching stances has previously proved successful for Warner. He scored 61* off 36 deliveries, including switching stance mid-0ver to Gayle while playing for Sylhet Strikers in the Bangladesh Premier League.
Approaching his half-century, Warner had struggled to score off Gayle previously in the innings and faced two dot-balls in a row off the second and third balls of Gayle’s third over. Frustrated by the limitations of batting left-handed to the right-arm off-spinner, Warner reversed his stance.
The change momentarily caused confusion, with Gayle adapting his field to suit Warner’s new stance after a brief conversation with the umpire. Continuing to bowl round the wicket, Gayle gave his next ball plenty of flight and landed it on a full-length pitching in line with the stumps. Warner backed away slightly and carved the ball straight down the ground and over the boundary for six.
The shot prompted the commentator to say: “Twice he could not get Chris Gayle across to pick up a single – he turns around, bats right-handed and punts him down the ground for a six. What a shot that is from the right-handed David Warner.”
Having reached his half-century, Warner continued in his new stance for Gayle’s next delivery. The ball was a full toss wide of the stumps to which Warner played a paddle-sweep through square leg past the fielder for four. Clearly having enjoyed the shot, Warner slapped his thigh with his bat before wiggling his hips in a celebratory dance.
To the final ball of the over, he played a shot which could be called a “reverse-reverse”. Still starting in a right-handed stance, Warner then moved back almost into a left-handed stance as the ball came towards him – playing the ball behind square. The ball seemed to ricochet off the keeper and lose speed, but a misfield in the inner ring ensured he picked up his third boundary in a row.
Having taken 16 off the final three balls of the over, Warner showed he’s just of much a challenge for bowlers when batting on his “weaker” side. Something to watch out for in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
