David Warner opens up on 2018 ball-tampering fiasco

David Warner, the prolific left-handed hitter for Australia, has had a stellar international career thus far. While representing Australia, he has won numerous World Championships, be it the T20 World Cup or the ODI World Cup. He was, and continues to be one of the key players in the Australian setup, but his lowest point came in 2018 when he was given a one-year suspension on ball-tampering accusations.

The episode, dubbed “sandpaper-gate” occurred in South Africa, and although Warner returned to the team a year later, after the ban was lifted, he has not yet been able to get the leadership ban lifted. Even after trying so hard and proving his worth, not being considered for the team’s leadership has always been a hindrance for him.

Warner was questioned if he regretted the incident, during an interview with Herald Sun, but the Australian superstar said bluntly that nobody is “perfect” and that he doesn’t regret “anything” in his life.

“I don’t regret anything. You make your own path, right? No one is perfect and you should never judge anyone until you’re perfect. If you try and be this robotic person and individual that wants to please everyone, it’s going to come down anyway, because you can’t please everyone,” he said.

“Whatever has happened in my past, it’s made me the individual I am and has probably got me to where I am. My circle around me is very, very small. They’re the only people I trust and I can always go to them for advice. If I did go back and make changes I wouldn’t be the person I am and what I value. I’ve got no regrets, and I enjoy where I am at the moment,” said Warner.

A lot has changed since then: Warner

The Australia hitter added that he received no support from Cricket Australia officials during his 12-month ban as a result of the 2018 ball-tampering fiasco. He spoke about the time he was away from the game, by making an analogy wherein he equated himself to a ‘washing machine’ that was designed to ‘rinse and recycle.’

“The people that were close to me really looked out for me. Within the organization though, nope. None. Unfortunately, that’s what it was like back then. You were like this washing machine. You’re just rinsed out, recycled, next player comes in. A lot has changed since then and George Bailey and Andrew McDonald are doing a great job now. You expect the organization to actually support you,” he concluded.