Australian opener David Warner's swansong is just a day away, but the focus has shifted to, guess what, his Baggy Green!
On the eve of his farewell Test—on his home turf Sydney Cricket Ground—the southpaw was left worrying about his Baggy Green cap that went missing on a flight from Melbourne to Sydney. The 37-year-old made an impassioned appeal on social media, as a “last resort”.
Warner will hang his boots after the third Test against Pakistan, starting on Wednesday, ending a 12-year career in the longest format of the game.
"This is my last resort, but my backpack, which contained my Baggy Green, has been taken from my luggage, which was transported to Melbourne airport and flown ... to Sydney a few days ago," he said in a post on Instagram.
"It's sentimental to me, it's something that I would love to have back, in my hands, walking out there come this week.
"If it's the backpack that you really wanted, I have a spare one here. You won't get into trouble, just get in touch with Cricket Australia or me. I'm happy to give this to you if you return my Baggy Green."
Australian internationals receive the baggy green cap, usually from a former player, on the morning of their Test debut.
In 111 Tests, Warner scored 8,695 runs at an average of 44.58, including 26 centuries and a career-high score of 335 not out, against Pakistan in 2019.
Retiring from ODIs, too
Warner announced during a New Year's Day news conference that he will also add one-day internationals to his retirement list.
He said the time was right to conclude his ODI career following Australia's recent World Cup triumph in India, where he was the champion team's leading run-scorer.
Warner will continue to play Twenty20 cricket for Australia, at least until T20 World Cup in the United States and Caribbean in June.
He, however, said he would make a comeback at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy if asked.
Warner retires from the 50-over format as the sixth-highest run-scorer in Australian ODI history, having scored 6,932 runs from his 161 matches, and a two-time World Cup winner. His 22 ODI centuries are the second-most by any Australian ODI player, behind only Ricky Ponting, who made 29 in 105 more innings than Warner played.
(With PTI inputs)