Wynne Gray: Warner leading the way for lefties

David Warner's shot-making has pushed him to the top of the left-handed queue. Photo / Getty

David Warner is the latest flagbearer for left handed test batsmen.

His rousing shot-making has pushed him to the head of the queue in the last two years as he's gathered 2527 runs to push clear of fellow opener and England captain Alastair Cook.

Cook scored 263 in another extraordinary innings in England's just-completed 2-0 series loss to Pakistan in Sharjah and has double (28) the test hundreds of Warner but has not scored as heavily in the last two years.

With the elegant Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakarra signing off from test cricket and Shiv Chanderpaul not wanted by the West Indies, it's up to Warner and Cook to carry the global reputation for lefties.

In the last two years Warner has averaged 60.16 in 22 tests and he garnished that record with centuries in both innings at the Gabba as Australia put New Zealand's attack under extreme pressure. It was the third time Warner had scored centuries in both innings of the same test.

Australian skipper Steve Smith has a better average at 69.97 than his pugnacious opening teammate but had fewer turns at bat as he scored 2379 runs.

Warner and Cook remain the poster-boys for lefties in tests-Chris Gayle is a gun for hire in short-form cricket-with Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Smith all right-handers who are top performers in their sport.

Warner has risen to become one of the cornerstones of the Australian batting lineup after starting his international career in 2009 in a Twenty 20 game before he'd played a first-class game.