By Ian Omoro
Australian star David Warner was on Wednesday selected as captain of the Big Bash League side Sydney Thunder, returning to a leadership role in Australian cricket six years after being implicated in the ball-tampering incident on a tour of South Africa.
Cricket Australia lifted his lifetime leadership ban last month, allowing him to captain before retiring from competitive cricket. He withdrew from international cricket after Australia’s elimination in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean in June. Warner, 38, was banned from the game for one year in 2018 for his role in the Newlands ball-tampering controversy, which also involved Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft.
Warner’s return to the leadership role is a significant event, and the daring opener, who delighted everyone with his incredible batting, understood the importance of the moment.
“Captaining the Thunder again this season means a lot to me. I was part of the team from the start, and now to be back with that ‘C’ next to my name feels fantastic. I’m looking forward to leading from the front and sharing my experience with the young talent coming through,” Warner said in a statement.
The Code of Conduct Commission of Cricket Australia decided that Warner’s ban, which was imposed following the 2018 Newlands ball-tampering incident and barred him from playing any kind of leadership role in Australian cricket, should be lifted. Warner’s availability for the full season made it possible for him to captain Thunder.
On being able to move on from the leadership ban, Warner said, “Quite clearly that was the last piece of that puzzle for me, and now it’s about coming out and sharing my knowledge of the game. Forever, that was probably going to be on my CV as well. You don’t want to look back when you go for a job interview and have ‘banned for life from a leadership perspective’ on your CV. That’s something that I’ll be able to now share with my girls moving forward that I’m able to actually be a leader.”
Warner acknowledged that he believed his chance had passed after an unsuccessful bid to reverse the ban in 2022, despite calls for the hearing to be public.
“I think two years ago that was probably me done. I thought I probably wouldn’t revisit that. I didn’t even know if I was going to come back and play Big Bash,” he said.
Thunder general manager Trent Copeland, who had been actively involved in the appeal process, stated that it would help Warner establish a lasting legacy with the team.
“This is a huge moment for David and for our club. It’s not only about his career; it’s about the legacy he’s creating, especially for his family and the next generation of players,” Copeland said.
