Australian cricketer David Warner lashed out at Cricket Australia (the national governing body for cricket in Australia) on Monday, November 21, expressing his frustration over the governing body not allowing him to apply to have his lifetime leadership ban reviewed, describing the process as traumatic and disappointing.
We decode this in today's edition of #WhatTheFAQ.
What did David Warner say to Cricket Australia (CA) yesterday?
The Australian opener stated that the CA is taking a really long time to review his ban and also added, “I am not a criminal. You should get the right of an appeal.”
Yesterday, the CA announced that the code of conduct has been amended which states that the players have the right to have a sanction reviewed once it has been accepted. As a result of his lifetime leadership ban in 2018, he has not been able to hold a captaincy position in the Australian cricket team. While speaking at a promotional event yesterday, November 21, the former captain of the Australian national team said, “I understand that they put a ban in place but banning someone for life, I think it's a bit harsh.” He also vented his anger about how his name is coming out and the wrong picture is being painted of him.
What happened in 2018 that led to his ban?
David Warner was suspended for 12 months from all international and domestic cricket after a ball-tampering scandal. On April 5, 2018, David Warner confessed to having tampered with the ball and accepted all the sanctions that were imposed by Cricket Australia. In an investigation by Cricket Australia, it was revealed that Warner had come up with the idea to tamper with the ball while former captain of the Australian team, Steve Smith, was aware of this and did not prevent it.
What were Warner's recent contributions to cricket?
As of September 2022, Warner has the highest percentage of runs in completed ODI innings with 94/141 (66.66%) for Australia in a match against Zimbabwe. The left-handed opening batsman was named the Player of the Tournament in the 2021 World Cup, for leading Australia to the title. In the year 2020, the Australian cricketer won the Alan Border Medal (presented to the most outstanding Australian male and female) which was awarded to him in 2016 and 2017 as well.
What are his landmark achievements?
To begin with, David Warner is the first-ever Australian cricketer in over 130 years to be selected for a national team in any format without experience in first-class cricket and he is the fourth player to win the Allan Border Medal more than once. Plus, he also won the award in consecutive years (2016 and 2017).
Warner played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2009 for Delhi Daredevils for the first time. In the 2014 IPL auction, he played for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He was appointed as the captain of the same team the following year and he had the leading score in the whole tournament that season. The batsman won his first orange cap (presented to the leading run scorer in the IPL) while he was the captain of SRH. He scored 4076 runs in the IPL, which is the maximum number of runs by any international player in the league. Warner also holds the record for most half-centuries with 44 to his name and the highest individual score by a captain (126).
