‘Only one who copped lot of flak’: David Warner reflects on ball-tampering scandal ahead of impending retirement | Cricket News

With impending retirement after the T20 World Cup, Australia batter David Warner admitted that the 2018 Sandpaper Gate scandal will remain a blemish while reflecting on his international career.
The 37-year-old left-hander will call time on a 15-year career for Australia, featuring in three World Cup wins for Australia. The dynamic opener, who retired from Tests and ODIs earlier this year, has recorded 49 centuries across formats. Warner’s stellar career was tainted during Australia’s tour to South Africa in 2018 where he was found guilty of ball-tampering during a Test in Cape Town.
Warner served a one-year ban Cricket Australia for his involvement in the scandal but returned to the national side with positive returns thereafter. However, the incidents in South Africa have continued to haunt Warner, stating that he copped a fair share of flak over the years.
“My back was always up against the wall when I came back, and I knew that. I copped my fair share over my career. I’ve probably been the only one that’s ever copped a lot of flak, whether it’s people who don’t like the Australian cricket team or don’t like me.
“I’ve always been that person who has copped it. I always feel like I’ve taken a lot of pressure off a lot of guys as well and I think understandably, I’ve been that person to be able to absorb that. But one can only absorb (so much). For me it’s great to go out knowing I’m not going to cop it anymore,” Warner told reporters in Antigua on Tuesday ahead of Australia’s Super 8 campaign.
“I felt I had great support from, especially our coaching group now and selectors have been great. All in all, I’ve had a privileged career, since 2018 I’ve really enjoyed that time coming back and just being around the guys and training hard and working as hard as I can,” he added.
Despite the blotch on his record, Warner hoped fans would remember his contribution in redefining opening across formats. Only 67 runs short of 19,000 runs, Warner is second only to Ricky Ponting among Australian batters.
“It’s going to be inevitable that when people talk about me in 20 or 30 years’ time, there will always be that sandpaper scandal. But for me, if they’re real cricket tragics and they love cricket, and my closest supporters, they will always see me as that cricketer. Someone who tried to change the game. Someone who tried to follow in the footsteps of the openers before me and tried to score runs at a great tempo and change Test cricket in a way. Be that person who went from T20 cricket to play Test cricket – batting at No. 6 and then opening. For me, hopefully I can be remembered for that, but I understand 2018, it always comes up and it’s unfortunate – but it is what it is.”
Warner also reflected on the possibilty of the Aussies winning a second title and holding all three ICC titles – alongwith the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup in 2023 – together for the first time in hory.
“I think it would be special, most definitely. As a team you strive for as much success as you can and to do that would be a great accomplishment. It’s not just for me, it’s about the systems we’ve had in place, the way the coaches and selectors have structured the whole thing.
“It’s been a process of 18-24 months and they’ve done a fantastic job to one, keep the guys on the park, but two, keep that core group together and I think it will be a fantastic fit for all of us,” Warner remarked.
Australia is slotted in Group 1 of the Super 8s with India, Afghanan and Bangladesh. They will take on Bangladesh first in Antigua on Friday.
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