Usman Khawaja stands by David Warner amid Mitchell Johnson's criticism

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has expressed support for David Warner after former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson launched a scathing attack on Warner in his column.

Johnson criticised his former teammate David Warner in an op-ed for Australian newspaper The West Australian, citing Warner's current lacklustre form in Test cricket and his involvement in the sandgate scandal.

Khawaja's support for Warner

• Khawaja strongly disagreed with Johnson's column, stating that both Warner and Steve Smith have paid their dues over the sandpaper-gate scandal.
• The sandpaper-gate scandal occurred in 2018 in South Africa, where Warner, Smith, and Cameron Bancroft were caught using sandpaper on the field to alter the ball's condition.
• Cricket Australia reprimanded them severely, imposing bans on the trio.
• Khawaja reiterated that while Warner and Smith may have committed the act, they have faced the consequences.

  

   

• He labeled Warner and Smith as heroes, mentioning that they endured a dark period missing a year of cricket but have paid their dues for their mistakes.
• Khawaja further emphasized that their contributions to the game outweigh their past missteps, expressing disagreement with Johnson's portrayal of Warner and others involved in the scandal.

What Johnson said

• In his column, Johnson voiced concerns about Warner's inclusion in the Test series against Pakistan, citing his poor form and questioning his farewell send-off after the sandpaper-gate scandal.
• Johnson accused Warner of not fully accepting responsibility for his role in the ball-tampering scandal, criticizing his alleged arrogance and disrespect toward the country.
• He questioned why a struggling Test opener like Warner should determine his retirement date and receive a hero's send-off after such a significant scandal in Australian cricket history.

Why Johnson went against Warner

• Johnson revealed that his critical views on Warner stemmed from a personal text message he received from Warner in April regarding another op-ed he had written.
• Expressing discomfort with Warner's tone in that message, Johnson attempted to reach out to discuss it, emphasizing his openness to communication after retiring from cricket.
• Johnson contended that this interaction was a significant factor in prompting his column against Warner.
• Putting personal differences aside, Warner's recent form has seen a decline, and the upcoming series against Pakistan might mark his conclusion in Test cricket.
• Warner has struggled, scoring 936 runs in 36 Test innings at an average of 26.74, with one century and four half-centuries in 20 Tests.