Australia announced a 14-man squad for the opening Test of the three-match series at home versus Pakistan on Sunday (Dec 3). The first Test will be held at Perth before the action moves to Melbourne with Sydney hosting the series finale. After David Warner was named in the squad for the first Test, former Aussie pacer Mitchell Johnson slammed the left-hander. The swashbuckling batter is set to retire from the format after the conclusion of the series with the last Test being held at the SCG, Sydney (Warner’s home ground).

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Johnson, a veteran of 73 Tests, slammed Warner for getting a grand farewell and recalled the Sandpaper gate scandal, since the opening batter being the mastermind behind the infamous incident. The controversy happened during the third Test between Australia and South Africa, in Cape Town, with Warner, Cameron Bancroft and then skipper Steve Smith being the main culprits. Warner later admitted to being the mastermind behind the scandal and was handed an 18-month ban, along with Smith. He was barred from leadership role after the infamous episode. A grand farewell for Warner from Tests, has not been well received by Johnson.

‘Why a player involved in one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket warrants a hero’s send-off?’

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Johnson wrote in his column for The West Australian, “It’s been five years and David Warner has still never really owned the ball-tampering scandal. Now the way he is going out is underpinned by more of the same arrogance and disrespect to our country. As we prepare for David Warner’s farewell series, can somebody please tell me why?”

“Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his own retirement date. And why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero’s send-off?,” added Johnson.

Now, Warner’s opening partner Usman Khawaja has come in the former’s support and lashed out at Johnson.

‘No one is perfect. Mitchell Johnson isn’t perfect’

Khawaja said, as quoted by ESPN, “Davey Warner and Steve Smith are heroes in my mind. They missed a year of cricket through dark times in Australian cricket but they have paid their dues. No one is perfect. Mitchell Johnson isn’t perfect. I am not perfect. Steve Smith is not perfect. David Warner isn’t perfect. What they have done for the game and to grow the game far outweighs anything else they have done.”

“So for him to imply that Dave Warner or anyone else involved in [the] Sandpaper [incident] is not a hero, I strongly disagree with because I believe they have paid their dues,” Khawaja added.

Warner, who was part of Pat Cummins-led Australia’s 2023 ODI World Cup-winning squad, is likely to retire from Tests after the Pakistan home series. He has 8487 runs in 109 Tests including 25 tons and 36 fifties. However, he has not been in great form in 2023 (with not even a single century). He will like to sign off on a high from the purest format.

Australia squad: (First Test only) Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Lance Morris, Steve Smith, Mitch Starc, David Warner

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