- Star opening batsman playing his 111th and final Test in Sydney
- I took the rare step of nominating it as his farewell months ago
- Farewell to long-running point scorer dubbed 'Warner week'
Finally, the David Warner circus has finally reached its intended destination.
Seven months to the day since Warner announced his retirement intentions, one of the longest separations in Test history will finally come to an end against Pakistan.
The opener will take to the SCG with his three daughters for the anthems on Wednesday, as part of what has become known as Warner Week in Sydney.
There will also be LED signage on display to thank Warner, while the SCG Trust is expected to present the 37-year-old with a gift after playing on the final day.
A guard of honor from Pakistan is also expected, while Warner's teammates will also make a special presentation to him as one of Australia's longest-serving players in the coming week.
Warner's daughters Ivy Mae, India Rae and Isla Rose (pictured with the star and his wife Candice at the SCG on January 1) will take center stage as the celebration of his stellar career gets underway in the third Test
The 37-year-old's farewell (pictured receiving his pink cap from cricket legend Glenn McGrath) is being dubbed 'Warner Week'.
“We spend a lot of time on the road and it can be monotonous at times, but with Davey it never is,” said Captain Pat Cummins.
'There's always something going on. He always brings a lot of energy to the group.
'We are often sitting at the table in the same restaurant for the tenth evening in a row… and he comes up with a story and suddenly our evening is arranged.
'Davey tells us how the world works.
'Then of course a fierce competitor on the field. When he is at mid-off, I always feel like he is behind us as a bowler.”
Australia are confident Warner's departure is not the only motivation this week, with World Test Championship points mattering with the three-match series already completed.
Warner could be without his treasured baggy green cap after it went missing in transit as the team flew to Sydney after the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne this week
The star batsman's childhood friend and current teammate Usman Khawaja recently posted a photo of the pair together, long before they broke into Test cricket
But his farewell party will attract the most attention.
Ahead of his 112th Test, Warner is Australia's most prolific opening batsman, while his strike rate is behind only Adam Gilchrist for all Australians over the past century.
Cummins this week joined coach Andrew McDonald in labeling the left-handed Australia's best ever three-format batsman, with his tally of 18,521 international runs only second to Ricky Ponting among all compatriots.
And after Warner identified Sydney as his starting point on a cold morning in Beckenham, south-east London, seven months ago, Cummins is now also dreaming of the perfect finish for the veteran.
“The best case scenario would be him scoring a hundred and maybe a leg-spinner to get the last wicket of the match out of trouble,” Cummins said.
Warner (pictured after being handed his first baggy green in 2011) has built a reputation as a fierce, aggressive and skilled competitor across 111 tests for his country
The SCG Test also has added significance for others in the Australian squad.
It is the first pink Test since Cummins lost his mother to breast cancer in March, and is the home match for no fewer than six Australians.
“It does (it takes on more meaning),” Cummins said Tuesday.
'It is always a special Test as a home Test, but the Pink Test has always had a special place in the hearts of our family.
'This year that is even more the case.
“I have a couple of aunts who volunteer on day three every year, and we've spent quite a few days here, even when I wasn't playing dress up in pink.”