(Image Source: Getty)
[Saba Sports News] At a press conference on January 1, Australian cricketer David Warner spoke before his final Test match against Pakistan, which begins on January 3. Warner, who recently announced his retirement from ODI cricket, used this platform to reflect on his notable career and address the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Anticipating questions on the scandal, Warner, as quoted by India Today, expressed no regrets, stating he has moved past the controversy with dignity, “I knew a question like this was going to come up,” Warner said.
He acknowledged the support of his wife, Candice, and others during that difficult time. Warner recounted receiving support from priests following the incident and the importance of family time he realized during his year-long ban.
“When I left Africa, the first five or six people that came up to me were priests and gave me a card. Then we went on a holiday to Singapore after that and there was a big church convention. I then sat back and spoke to Candice, and said someone is clearly watching down upon us.”
Emphasizing the lessons learned, Warner spoke of his passion for cricket and the importance of moving forward with dignity, focusing on earning respect back and putting Australian cricket first. He hopes to inspire young cricketers to dream of playing for Australia.
“Reflecting back on that whole period, my whole career, I’ve got no regrets because you are going to have a lot of hurdles you are going to have to jump. There’s going to be obstacles in the way, but you have to move forward and I’ve done that with dignity. I’ve got a lot of passion for the game and it was important from my perspective that I’m giving back, making sure that I gained the respect back but making sure I’m putting Australian cricket first. I want every young kid who wants to play cricket to dream of playing for Australia and that’s what was really important for me when I came back,” the opener said.
Regarding the leadership ban from Cricket Australia, Warner accepted the decision and mentioned his contentment with the outcome. He reflected on leadership beyond official titles, emphasizing the importance of setting an example on and off the field.
Warner feels he is a leader in the team regardless of official designations, citing his leadership roles in IPL and ILT20 as examples of his capabilities.