Six years after the notorious Sandpapergate scandal, David Warner still feels singled out by a segment of the cricketing community. He believes he continues to face excessive criticism, unlike other players involved, who are shielded differently.
In 2018, Warner and then-captain Steve Smith were banned from professional cricket for a year due to the incident in South Africa. Upon their return against England a year later, both faced loud jeers. Over time, Smith resumed a leadership role in the national team, whereas Warner was never given that opportunity, despite discussions suggesting otherwise.
David Warner said: “For me, it’s about moving forward. My back was always up against the wall when I came back and I knew that. I copped my fair share over my career. Coming back since (his 12-month ban) I’ve probably been the only one that’s ever copped a lot of flak, from whether it’s people who don’t like the Australian cricket team or don’t like me.”
“I’ve always been that person who has copped it. OK, it’s fine if they want to do that, but I always feel like I’ve taken a lot of pressure off a lot of guys as well and I think understandably, I’ve been that person to be able to absorb that. But one can only absorb (so much). For me, it’s great to go out knowing I’m not going to cop it anymore.”
David Warner is a key player of Australia
Warner, now 37, stated that he has endured the criticism over the years but is no longer willing to tolerate it. He believes he has alleviated pressure on some players and has spoken out against the unfair treatment he perceives. Warner plans to retire from international cricket after the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Despite being a cricket legend, he anticipates that the criticism will persist for decades. However, he hopes that true cricket fans will remember him for his aggressive batting rather than the scandal.
He concluded by adding: “I think it’s going to be inevitable that when people talk about me in 20 or 30 years’ time, there will always be that. There will always be that sandpaper scandal. But for me, if they’re real cricket tragics and they love cricket, and my closest supporters, they will always see me as that cricketer.”
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