David Warner will call time on his Test and ODI career after the upcoming third Test between Australia and Pakistan. This match will begin on January 3, 2024, and will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney.
Ahead of the match, Warner fielded questions from reporters at his home ground of SCG and of course the mention of the ball-tampering scandal from the 2018 Cape Town Test against South Africa came up.
The veteran opener was one of the three Australian players who were involved in the controversy with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft being the other two. This resulted in all three cricketers being suspended by Cricket Australia. Steve Smith and David Warner were also forced to step down as captain and vice-captain of the team. David Warner was also banned from the 2018 IPL.
“I knew a question like this was going to come up. When I look back at that, it can be handled differently. But I think Nick (Hockley, CA’s chief executive) did his ultimate best to put that forward to the board and the decision was made, and I am happy with that.
I have moved forward from that. I have got opportunities to lead in the IPL, to lead in the ILT20. I have enjoyed my leadership roles,” said David Warner as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
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Warner was also involved in a battle against Cricket Australia about his leadership position ban which kept him from becoming captain or vice-captain of a team in Australian cricket.
“But for me, in recent years, I have learned that leadership (is not about) wearing a captain or vice-captain badge. It is about being true to yourself and setting an example both on and off the field.
For me, I think I’m a leader in this team no matter what. You do not need that C or VC next to your name. I know myself and my energy at times can be annoying, and I can be a pest, but I know that inside that changeroom it gets everyone up and about,” he added.
David Warner has played 111 Tests so far and has scored 8695 runs at an average of 44.58 with the help of 26 centuries and 36 half-centuries. His highest score is 335* which came against Pakistan. Among Australians, only Ricky Ponting has scored more international runs than him.
