IND vs AUS 2023: David Warner has an issue with his confidence, says Mark Waugh

Former Australian opener Mark Waugh believes David Warner has issues with his confidence after the left-hander failed to give a good start to the visitors in the first innings of the opening Test match against India at the VCA, Nagpur on Thursday. Mohammed Siraj had Usman Khawaja plumbed in front of the wickets on the first ball he bowled.

David Warner soon followed his opening partner in the dressing room as he was castled by Mohammed Shami. Warner was clearly late on the ball as Shami sent the off-stump cartwheeling. The southpaw was dismissed for a single run and Australia found themselves in early trouble at 2-2.

Waugh feels Warner hasn’t done any substantial other than scoring a double-century in the pink-ball Test match against South Africa.

“Well, I think he has had a tough summer. I thought he made a great double hundred at the MCG. And apart from that, he has not made a lot of runs. There is an issue with his confidence, I think. I feel like he is not watching the ball as closely as he can. I am not sure if he is looking for the short ball or something else. You have to give it to Shami. That was an excellent ball. I think Warner thought it would leave him but it came at an angle. Top ball,” Mark Waugh told Star Sports during the lunch break on Day 1.

Meanwhile, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri questioned Warner’s footwork and body language after he was dismissed cheaply.

“I have seen Warner with much more positive footwork. But there, he was caught on the crease. His body language when he is foot is moving is ‘when you don’t get it right (the bowler), I am attacking’. Here, the body language suggested that he was searching. Makes a big difference,” Ravi Shastri told Star Sports.

Australia was bundled out for only 177 runs in their first innings while India was 77-1 at the end of the opening day’s play.