"Something that’s hard to get my head around" - David Warner hits out at Cricket Australia over lifetime leadership ban

Veteran Australian opener David Warner has questioned the lifetime leadership ban imposed on him by Cricket Australia. The left-handed batter said the ban doesn't make sense considering he will be eligible to coach Australia in the future.

Cricket Australia prohibited Warner from captaining Australia after his role in the sandpaper scandal during the South Africa tour in 2018. The New South Welshman, then vice-captain, masterminded the saga and was banned from all forms of cricket for a year. Since then, he hasn't held any leadership role for the national team.

Speaking to Code Sports, Warner said he believes coaching is as good as holding a leadership position and is unable to understand why Cricket Australia hasn't revoked the ban. Terming it 'bizarre', the 37-year-old elaborated:

"What’s the difference between captaining and coaching? You’ve got more responsibility as a coach, wouldn’t you think so? I don’t know, I’m not sure, I don’t know how to answer. It’s been five years, and I still don’t know how to answer the question. It’s just something that’s hard to get my head around. Apparently, I will be able to coach if allowed to in Australia. But I can’t captain. So yeah, I’m not sure what it is. It’s under contract with Australia. It’s a leadership position, so I’m not sure; I just don’t know. It’s very bizarre."

The southpaw has officially retired from Test and ODI cricket, playing his final red-ball match for Australia against Pakistan in Sydney earlier this month. He signed off with a half-century as the hosts won the game by eight wickets.

"I would have changed early doors" - David Warner

David Warner. (Image Credits: Twitter)

Warner also claimed that he would have done things differently early in his career in terms of his aggressive behaviour and credited the IPL for bringing about that change. He added:

"I would have changed early doors; I wouldn’t have been that attack dog. If IPL came around earlier, in my mind, I found that the more I get to know people, the more I wouldn’t actually go at someone. And I felt like I was actually directed to be that person, to go out there and attack opposition players and get under their skin. I think just because that was me growing up and being attacked verbally, playing grade cricket, that’s all you knew growing up."

The left-hander is likely to feature in the upcoming T20I series against the West Indies.