David Warner reveals how 'external noise' doomed his Ashes campaign
David Warner has admitted he let the ‘external noise’ get to him during the Ashes series earlier in the year, after his record-breaking knock against Pakistan.
The previously embattled opener surpassed Sir Don Bradman’s record when he posted an unbeaten 335 against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval.
His record innings brings him to a total of 489 runs across the first two Tests against Pakistan, for the cost of just one wicket.
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It’s a far cry from his capitulations during the Ashes, which Warner said he had gone to great lengths to put behind him in the lead-up to the Australian summer.
Speaking after the end of the second day, Warner said he’s faced thousands of balls in the nets prior to the first Test at the Gabba, and blamed ‘external noise’ during the England tour for a change in technique that proved costly.
After day two he was asked if he ever felt like he was ‘losing it’ during the Ashes.
“Nah, never. I was never losing it,” he said.
“At the end of the day, you’re going to have people who doubt you.
“To be honest, through that whole campaign in that series I always said I wasn’t out of form, I was out of runs.
“I would have backed myself more and bat where I have been here, outside off.
“I just think in England you can get a bit caught up in playing too much in front, especially with the way that I play.”
Steve Smith shatters long-standing record
Steve Smith has become the fastest Test batsman to reach 7000 Test runs, breaking a 73-year record to claim the honour.
Smith reached the 7000-run milestone on Saturday afternoon in Adelaide with his 23rd run against Pakistan as Australia raced to a massive first-innings score.
Smith has taken just 126 innings to reach the mark, getting there in five faster than Englishman Walter Hammond who has held the record since 1946.
Smith's innings also took him past Don Bradman's career-mark of 6996 runs, lifting him to the 11th most prolific scorer in Australian Test history.