- Warner always touches Phil Hughes' plaque when he is at the SCG
- Veteran opener has been performing ritual for ten years
- Star was there in 2014 when Hughes was hit by a ball
David Warner will pay tribute to Phil Hughes before batting at the Sydney Cricket Ground in a manner that has become a ritual since his friend died in tragic circumstances.
Hughes suffered a brain haemorrhage at the age of 25 and died two days later after a ball hit him during a Sheffield Shield match on 25 November 2014.
His death shocked the sporting world and led to an outpouring of grief from the cricket community and beyond.
Warner was on the ground when the incident happened and Hughes has been in his thoughts ever since.
Now Warner is going out of his way to pay tribute to Hughes as part of his pre-innings preparation when he plays at the SCG.
Warner has revealed how he remembers Phil Hughes when he plays at the SCG
Warner will always touch the plaque dedicated to Hughes as part of his preparation before starting work (pictured)
“First of all, I'll touch Hughesy's plaque,” Warner said 7Crickets Trent Copeland before day one of the Sydney Test.
After touching the plaque, Warner begins his walk to the playing surface.
“Honestly, not much goes through your mind when you walk here,” Warner said.
“It's more about going through the fans, embracing that and hoping I can entertain.
“Maybe we can have a laugh, me and Uzzie (opening partner, Usman Khawaja) – I've done that with a few other players in the past.
“But it's all down here; when you get to the turf and you look around and we do our last few stretches – usually I get on my knees, straighten my back a little bit and then we look at each other, glove thrust, and I always say, Uzzie, with his background I always say ' Inshallah Mashallah' before we go out. It's something I've always respected about him, and he always giggles back when I say it
“You enter the arena. It's finished. You are ready to battle. But you really absorb what's around you.
“I've always looked at every game as my last and I've absolutely enjoyed playing for Australia and hopefully I can go out with a big bang today.”
Warner (pictured with Hughes in 2011) plays his final Test at the SCG
Warner says he always tries to locate his wife and children when he steps onto the oval
The veteran opener says he will always try to see where his wife Candice and their three daughters are as well.
'They usually sit on the bottom layer in one of the boxes on the first day. And day two usually at the top of the O'Reilly Stand,” he said.
'I'm always conscious when I walk out as my protector, so when they're with me and I'm away I always try to spot them. Once I know where they are, I'm good to go.
'They mean the world. You can't play this sport without your most loyal supporters.'