File photo of David Warner and Usman Khawaja© BCCI/Sportzpics
David Warner’s inclusion in the Australia team for the Test series against Pakistan has become a subject of serious debate, with suggestions being made that the opening batter didn’t deserve to be included in the team. Former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson, in his column, launched a sharp attack at Warner and the Australian selectors after he was added to the Test roster despite poor form. Johnson’s criticism of Warner hasn’t been welcomed by many, with Australia batter Usman Khawaja calling the comments by the former Aussie star “harsh”.
“Why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero’s send-off?”, Johnson wrote in his column for the West Australian.
Khawaja, however, said that both David Warner and Steve Smith — two of the three players at the center of the ball-tampering scandal — are heroes in his eyes.
“Davey Warner and Steve Smith are heroes in my mind,” Khawaja told reporters. “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 [Johnson] 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.”
“I’m not sure you can argue with that. [The criticism] is harsh,” Khawaja said.
It isn’t a secret that Warner’s form with the bat in Test cricket hasn’t been the best over the last 2-3 years. Although Australia coach Andrew McDonald did suggest that Marnus Labuschagne was an option to replace Warner at the top.
“Have you asked Marnus this? I think he would give you a really clear, ‘hell no’,” Khawaja said on McDonald’s suggestion. “Marnus has got opening-itis. I am pretty sure Davey Warner hurt his arm and sent Alex Carey out to open. I think that is a long shot.”
