The seasoned David Warner enters Boxing Day without a Test century in nearly three years, but his longtime teammate Steve Smith on Wednesday gave the Australia opener the support he needs to turn things around against South Africa and perform under pressure, saying that "when his back's up against the wall, he's done pretty well."
After being dismissed for a golden duck and three during the two-day Gabba Test to open the three-match series by South Africa captain Kagiso Rabada, Warner is running out of opportunities to leave red-ball cricket on his own terms.
The 36-year-old failed to pass 50 against the West Indies during significant victories in Perth and Adelaide, and he hasn't scored a Test century since January 2020.
With a tour of India coming up before the five-match series in England, the star opener aims to continue playing Test cricket at least to the end of the upcoming Ashes. However, the choice might be made for him given that he has played in just 10 Tests this year, averaging just 20.61.
"You only have to look back a (few) weeks ago (to) a one-day game out here (at the MCG) against England, he scored 100 on what was a pretty tough wicket," Smith said about Warner, who is set to play his 100th Test when Australia takes on South Africa at the MCG.
"We've seen David when his back's up against the wall, he's done pretty well," he added.
The right-hander batter pointed to last year's Twenty20 World Cup in Dubai, when Warner was struggling but was able to turn it around and be named player of the tournament.
"It doesn't matter what format of the game, Davey always plays in a pretty similar way, which has been the beauty of him in Test cricket, being able to take the game on from ball one," Smith said.
"Sometimes it doesn't work, and he hasn't had a great deal of luck lately," he added.
Australia are 1-0 up in the three-match series against South Africa with a six-wicket triumph at the Gabba on Sunday.