A - David Warner says former Test captain Mark Taylor has helped him realise he needs to grow up and knuckle down to his career.
Struggling national team batsman Warner admitted on Thursday he's "probably been a pest in the past" and has taken his cricket for granted.
And a frank discussion with Taylor on Wednesday reinforced that he needed to pull his head in to regain batting form and avoid squandering his talent.
Handed a one-match suspended ban for failing to turn out for the second day of a Sydney grade game at the weekend as directed, Warner put it down to a "misunderstanding" but wanted his third controversy of the year to be his last.
He was also fined for a Twitter spat with a cricket writer in May before punching England opener Joe Root in a Birmingham pub cost him his place in the Champions Trophy squad and two Ashes lead-up games.
"The old saying is that things come in threes and I think I've had my turn now," 26-year-old Warner told Sky Sports Radio on Thursday.
"There's always going to be ups and downs in your life but it's probably been a pretty bad six months for myself, but now it's about moving forward and getting on with cricket and trying to be a mature adult.
"I've probably been a pest in the past but now it's about maturing and settling down and actually working hard at the game.
"I know as a young guy the last probably three or four years I probably have taken things for granted.
"I'm not getting any younger, the age keeps going away from you so hopefully I can leave this game in 10 years as a person to be remembered."
Warner acknowledged that was a message rammed home by Taylor.
"I had a talk with Mark Taylor yesterday and you're basically remembered for the stats that are brought up on the screen," Warner said.
"You look at your average and the games that you've played and if those two don't add up then you're really not going to be remembered.
"And the way that you act and the way that you can lead around the team by example and the role model that you are, that's how you get remembered, the likes of Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Ricky Ponting, there's a long list there.
"Those guys are so good at what they did that they're always going to be remembered and everyone will always walk past you down the street and say, 'you know what mate, you had a great career and we really loved watching you'.
"And that's the type of person that you want to be remembered for, for what you did on the field and what you do off the field."
Share
