Former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson recently launched a scathing attack on David Warner while reacting to talks of the veteran opener getting a hero’s send-off in what is expected to be his last Test match against Pakistan in January 2024.
Johnson accused Warner of not owning up to his role in the ball-tampering scandal and also took a dig at his fading numbers in Test cricket, asking why the selectors would allow such a batter to decide his exit date.
After his comments sparked a furore, Johnson said that the foundation of his attack on Warner came from a text message he had received in April. Apparently, the text was sent following an article Johnson wrote where he had questioned both Warner's form and Candice Warner's public defence of her husband's Test spot.
Amid the public spat, South African legend AB de Villiers has urged the two Australian cricketers to resolve their differences privately.
“I’m not a fan of their public discussion. They should just talk privately. Give the guy a call, suggest grabbing a cold drink, and work things out. There might be some unresolved issues from the dressing room, but it’s better to keep it between them and not involve the world,” De Villiers said in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
“They’ve played cricket together and spent time in the dressing room. Perhaps that’s where the issue began. Mitchell Johnson might think, ‘You were in a World Cup-winning squad, and now you’re getting a special send-off. Some things need addressing.’ I believe there’s more to unfold,” he added.
While Warner is yet to break his silence on Johnson’s comment, his manager James Erskine has hit back at the former fast bowler by saying that the left-hander’s selection in the Test side is logical.
"Let me tell you, anyone can get a headline. The fact is [Warner's selection] is just logical. The three [replacement] candidates will be [Matthew] Renshaw, [Cameron] Bancroft - who has played pretty well in the Sheffield Shield - and [Marcus] Harris. Now they've all had spells opening the batting for Australia," Erskine said, as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald.
