Australian opener David Warner, who is set to retire from international cricket after the T20 World Cup 2024, believes that the infamous ‘Sandpaper Gate’ scandal will forever cast a shadow over his illustrious career. Despite his decorated tenure, which includes three World Cup victories for Australia, Warner acknowledges that the 2018 scandal remains a significant blemish on his record.
Reflecting on his career, Warner, who concluded his Test and ODI career in January 2024 with 49 international centuries, expressed that the aftermath of the Sandpaper Gate incident will always be a part of his legacy. “I’ve always copped a lot of flak, whether it’s from people who don’t like the Australian cricket team or don’t like me,” Warner said in Antigua.
Warner served a one-year ban and was demoted from his role as vice-captain following the scandal, which saw him, along with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, implicated in tampering with the ball during a Test match against South Africa. Despite the setback, Warner made a successful return to the national team, contributing significantly to its successes since then.
However, Warner admits that his return was challenging. “My back was always up against the wall when I came back, and I knew that,” he stated. “I’ve been that person who has copped it, and I feel like I’ve taken a lot of pressure off a lot of guys. For me, it’s great to go out knowing I’m not going to cop it anymore.”
Warner also acknowledged the support he received from the current coaching group and selectors. “I’ve had a privileged career. Since 2018, I’ve really enjoyed coming back and just being around the guys, training hard, and working as hard as I can,” he added.
As Warner approaches his final games, he is just 67 runs short of reaching 19,000 international runs, second only to Ricky Ponting among Australia’s all-time top scorers. Despite his achievements, Warner understands that the Sandpaper scandal will always be part of his story. “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,” he acknowledged. “But for me, if they’re real cricket tragics, and they love cricket, my closest supporters will always see me as that cricketer who tried to change the game.”
Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, is set to play Bangladesh in Antigua on June 21, as part of Group 1 in the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2024.
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