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Australia's opener David Warner is bidding farewell to Test cricket in Sydney. The prolific player known for his prowess in all formats, became emotional during his retirement press conference. He shared heartfelt sentiments about his childhood friend and fellow opener Usman Khawaja.
Khawaja and Warner, having grown up together in junior cricket, share a long-standing connection in international cricket. The pair has collaborated in 64 Test innings, accumulating 2771 runs at an average of 44.69.
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In his farewell press conference, Warner became emotional discussing his association with Khawaja, describing the Sydney Test match as a fairy-tale conclusion to their journey as professional cricketers.
"I was saying to Uzzie this morning when we were out in the middle (at training), with his debut Test I was actually sitting up in one of the boxes up there and it was awesome to see," Warner said.
"It's a fairytale ending. I don't know too many cricketers who have gone through junior cricket with each other and played the highest level for a long period of time," Warner said during the press conference ahead of the New Year's Test match scheduled for January 3.
Khawaja faced exclusion from the Test team under the Justin Langer era but staged a comeback during the 2021/22 Ashes series. Batting in the middle-order at the SCG, Khawaja scored two centuries and has since emerged as Australia's top scorer in Test cricket.
Warner expressed his immense pride in Khawaja's comeback, highlighting the batter's remarkable achievements.
"Just to see him come back the way he has the last two years has been absolutely amazing. I know his family are really, really proud of him. I'm really, really proud of him as a mate. It brought a tear to my eye when he scored that hundred when he came back (two years' ago in the Ashes)," Warner said about Khawaja.
"When you're childhood friends dreaming big and you get to go out here at the SCG, it's fitting," he further added.
Australia have maintained the same playing eleven for the series' third and final Test against Pakistan. Warner aims to form one final significant partnership with his childhood friend. The pair holds the record for Australia's third-highest second wicket partnership in Test cricket, achieving 302 runs against New Zealand in 2015.
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