Opening batsman David Warner celebrated cricket's resumption in Australia nearly two weeks after Phillip Hughes's death by compiling a glorious, emotion-tinged century on the opening day of the first test against India on Tuesday.
The pugnacious 28-year-old tore into India's hapless pacemen from his first delivery, crunching 19 boundaries in his 145 at a sun-baked Adelaide Oval after the match began on a solemn note following tributes to batsman Hughes.
Warner drove a single off legspinner Karn Sharma to bring up his 100 and after tearing off his helmet and kissing the crest, he raised his hands and head to the sky in a poignant tribute to his fallen team mate.
"I like to do a little celebration but that was definitely for him today," Warner said in a pitchside TV interview after his 163-ball knock.
"He was at the other end when I scored my first 100 and I dedicated that 100 to him today. It's been an emotional week for us all and I know he'd have been proud of us today."
Warner had earlier bolted out onto the pristine field and blasted an imperious cover drive for four off the first delivery he faced from paceman Varun Aaron, one of seven boundaries he struck in the first four overs.
"That was all about instinct, that's how I play, but there was a lot of adrenaline running through my head," Warner added.
"I knew the little man up there was with me at the other end and it all fell into place."
Hughes died in hospital two days after being struck by a short ball in a domestic match, prompting a debate over the use of bouncers in cricket.
It was not until the first ball of the fourth over on Tuesday that Aaron banged one in, a textbook delivery that prompted applause from the crowd of 25,000 and which Warner did well to avoid.
Warner was playing at the Sydney Cricket Ground when Hughes was felled and admitted it had been "tough" to get back out on the pitch with the memories still fresh in his mind.
There was another glance to the sky and raising of his bat when he reached 63, the score Hughes was on when he was struck down in a Sheffield Shield match.
"It was something that was in the back of my mind, it's going to be a special number for all of us for many years to come," Warner said.