Australia coach Justin Langer said David Warner allowed England paceman Stuart Broad to “get into his head” during a miserable Ashes series for the opener.
Warner ended with the unwanted record of the fewest runs scored by a Test opener across 10 innings of a series. The 32-year-old, who registered a cumulative total of just 95, was dismissed seven times by Broad during the drawn contest and encountered jeers from home crowds following his role in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Langer plans to persist with the experienced batsman heading into the Australian summer but expressed some doubt that he would fully recover from a dismal Ashes display.
“I’ve learned over a long period you never write off champion players, it doesn’t matter what sport, you never write off champion players,” said Langer, whose side retained the urn following the 2-2 draw.
“He had this series, it didn’t go to plan, but he’s seen how successful he’s been and the impact he can have on Australian cricket teams winning, so I’m confident he’ll come good. Actually, I’m hopeful he comes good. Talking frankly, I thought he let Stuart Broad get into his head and I think he thought way too much about it.”
Langer feels Warner, who was the second-highest run scorer at the World Cup, will be pleased to be returning home. “In this instance I don’t think David solved the puzzle, and he’ll be the first to admit that,” said. “He’ll probably be very relieved [when] he gets on the Qantas flight knowing he doesn’t have to face Stuart Broad for a while, I reckon.”
