Virender Sehwag has helped David Warner realise he could thrive at Test level and now Australia's vice-captain is vowing to learn from the Indian icon once again as he ponders how best to plunder runs during the Ashes.
England captain Joe Root has set defensive fields to Warner this summer, seeking to starve the aggressive opener of boundaries from the first ball.
The ploy has been somewhat successful. Warner is averaging 49 but has passed 50 just once in five innings, often falling because of a rash stroke rather than an inspired delivery.
"I feel like come the first Test I'd won the battle before they even started bowling and in the back of your mind as an opening batter that's a lot of respect," Warner said of Root's fields.
"They're trying to get me out the way I got out in Perth. I've got to take my ego out of it and play each ball on its merits.
"I look back to a guy like Virender Sehwag. Australia set the same fields to him.
"They kept on bowling to his areas and strengths.
"He ended up getting out a couple of times but he worked it out himself.
"It's upon me to keep backing my strengths and playing my game."
Former Test opener Sehwag convinced Warner, then a white-ball specialist and Indian Premier League teammate, in 2009 he would be an even better Test batsman than Twenty20 blaster.
Warner isn't panicking but admitted he was "gutted" to miss out on a big score at the WACA, where Steve Smith and Mitch Marsh both produced career-best knocks as Australia claimed an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
"The wicket was nice and flat and I love batting in Perth," Warner said.
"I've done a lot of batting in the nets, now it's about staying out there and grinding it out and batting my way.
"I feel like my preparation has been fantastic.
"I go back to the start of the Sheffield Shield season; we've had to be patient, the wickets produced were conducive to fast bowling."
