Mahatma Gandhi and David Warner! Even the mention of the two men in the same sentence would baffle many. But alas, there may be a connection between the two after all!
Warner endured a most miserable time in the Ashes series which was played in England. He managed to get just one 50+ score in 10 innings. But the left-hander recorded a most stunning return to form by first scoring a hundred in the Test vs Pakistan at Gabba and then, a triple hundred in the ongoing match at Adelaide.
How did it all change?
This amazing turnaround can be attributed to a lot of things. But Warner's better half, Candice Warner thinks that the most important ingredient in her husband's success was mental fortitude. To make her point, she decided to quote Mahatma Gandhi in a tweet alongside her husband's picture.
"'Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will (Mahatma Gandhi).' It's not important what other people believe about you. It's only important what you believe about yourself. @davidwarner31 #335notout," Mrs Warner wrote on Twitter.
Indeed, the mind of Warner seems to be the biggest factor in determining his performance. The reason why he failed so spectacularly in the Ashes may well be the relentless booing and jeering that he had to face from the crowd. The incessant hostility seemed to percolate to beneath the skin of Warner and leave him mentally afflicted.
On top of that, the skilful swing bowling of Stuart Broad – who dismissed him seven out of 10 times in that series – only made the matters worse. Warner has always been much less productive away from home, except for South Africa. Succeeding in England was bound to be a tough challenge. But when the entire stadium is after you, it becomes even harder.
Change of situation
On Australian pitches, with less swing and true bounce, the former Aussie vice-captain was back in his natural habitat. He also seemed to have the burning desire to make up for all his failures in England. Combine that with a rather ineffective Pakistan bowling attack, and Warner's return to form was near-certain.
But the fact that he has reached such heady heights of success in this series cannot be attributed to just change of conditions. It is also a function of willpower and determination. That's what Candice Warner is alluding to when referring to Mahatma Gandhi's quote. Yes, her husband will have sterner Tests in coming months. He will have to prove himself outside his country. But, for the moment, he is back, with a bang.
