[ad_1]
Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has mounted a spirited defence of his opening accomplice David Warner after former team-mate Mitchell Johnson questioned his place within the Check squad and mentioned he had not taken full duty for the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Warner was named in a 14-man squad for the series-opener towards Pakistan regardless of a poor run of red-ball type and has made no secret of his hopes to bow out of the longest format after the third Check at his dwelling Sydney Cricket Floor.
The choice to maintain religion with Warner provoked a robust response from Johnson, who wrote in a column that the 37-year-old opener didn’t deserve his place within the aspect based mostly on type, or warrant a “hero’s send-off” as a result of he had “by no means actually owned” his half within the Newlands ball-tampering scandal.
“Can someone please inform me why?” he wrote in The West Australian newspaper on the weekend, additionally citing Warner’s central function within the infamous “Sandpaper-gate” scandal.
Khawaja disagreed with Johnson’s view, saying Warner and former captain Steve Smith had accomplished a lot for Australian cricket and their 12-month bans for ‘Sandpaper-gate’ have been punishment sufficient.
“Davey Warner and Smith are heroes in my thoughts,” Khawaja advised reporters on Monday. “They missed a 12 months of cricket by means of darkish instances. Nobody’s excellent. Mitchell Johnson’s not excellent, I’m not excellent, Steven Smith isn’t excellent, David Warner isn’t excellent.
“What they’ve accomplished for the sport how they’ve grown the sport far outweighs anything they’ve accomplished.
“So for [Johnson] to suggest that Davey Warner or anybody else concerned in sandpaper (gate) will not be a hero … I strongly disagree as a result of they’ve paid their dues. A 12 months out of cricket is a very long time.”
Former quick bowler Johnson’s column triggered a fierce response in Australian media on Monday and criticism from some native sports activities pundits.
Former Check captain Tim Paine, nevertheless, mentioned Johnson had made some “nice factors” about Warner’s type.
“David hasn’t been enjoying nicely and would different individuals be getting the run he’s getting now? In all probability not,” Paine mentioned on radio station SEN.
“However in my view, he’s bought credit within the financial institution as a result of he is likely one of the all-time greats. I feel you possibly can learn between the traces that Johnson and Davey don’t get alongside.”
The primary Check towards Pakistan in Perth begins on December 14, earlier than the standard Boxing Day Check on the Melbourne Cricket Floor, then Sydney, starting January 3.
Warner was in scintillating type on the current 50-over World Cup, however he has scored only one Check century since early 2020 and averages solely 28 because the 2019-2020 summer season in Australia.
