A lifelong leadership ban was imposed on the 35-year-old in the aftermath of South Africa’s 2018 ball-tampering controversy.
David Warner, who recently signed a two-year contract to play for Sydney Thunder for the first time since 2013 in the BBL, has requested that Cricket Australia discuss with him overturning his lifetime ban from holding any captaincy position.
Along with Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft, Warner received the harshest punishment of the three players involved in the ball-tampering incident during Australia’s 2018 match against South Africa in Cape Town. Warner was banned from holding any position of authority in Australian cricket for the remainder of his playing career.
Much has changed since then and continues to do so. Warner returned after the suspension and dominated for Australia in the 2019 World Cup. Although he had an unforgettable IPL season the previous year, he distinguished himself during the T20 World Cup and won the Player of the Tournament award by assisting Australia in their historic victory.
To allow Warner to captain at least in the BBL, there is rising sentiment in the game that the decision must be overturned. After Usman Khawaja joined Brisbane Heat, the Thunder will need a new captain for the 2022–23 season.
“That hasn’t really been brought to the table,” Warner said on Sunday. “As I’ve said plenty of times off the record, it’s upon the board to reach out to me and open their doors. Then I can sit down and have an honest conversation with them.
“The board has changed since back in 2018 and when all those sanctions were dealt with. It would be great to have a conversation with them and see where we are at.”
Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia’s Test team, has been a vocal supporter of Warner’s reinstatement. “I don’t see why not. He’s a brilliant leader. I hope so,” he said at the recent Chappell Foundation dinner at the SCG.
When Cummins was unable to play because of a close encounter with Covid, Smith led Australia in the second Test match against England in Adelaide last year. Smith was given a two-year leadership ban in 2018.
Warner, however, is confident in his ability to serve as a leader regardless of whether he is given the captaincy in Australian cricket once more.
A decision about the team’s captain would “be made closer to the start of the season,” Thunder stated when announcing Warner’s signing.
Warner is one of the most experienced players on the national team and is recognised as one of the top opening batters in the world across all formats. He was Smith’s longtime assistant while Smith served as the captain of Australia. In the away Test series against Sri Lanka, he was last seen in action.
