David Warner has insisted he never considered stepping down from the Perth or Adelaide tests despite how much his mental state was affected by the painful process to try to overturn the lifetime leadership ban imposed on him by Cricket Australia.
The conflict between Warner, CA and its independent conduct commissioners, who insisted on a public hearing to go over the events of 2018 and whether the opener’s ban should be overturned, came to light on the eve of the Adelaide test against West Indies.
CA’s insistence on an independent process, despite the fact its board had the constitutional power to remove a ban that directors had directly imposed five years ago, led to a drawn out saga that has left Warner and the administration at odds.
They can be expected to speak again in January once the current South Africa series ends.
“Yeah definitely,” Warner said when asked if the end of the saga, albeit with his non-preferred outcome, would help him this week.
“We reached out in February, so we have no idea how it went on this far, and only CA can answer that, and they’ll probably give you the same thing they give everyone else and they won’t really give an answer.
“Leading into the Perth test my mental health probably wasn’t where I needed to be at to be 100 per cent, and that was challenging. If I had it my way we would’ve had that all sorted. So from the CA point of view I didn’t really have any support, but my teammates and the staff in our team were absolutely amazing, and my family and friends.
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“They really got me through that period. It’s Christmas time, the festive part of year, I’m in a great headspace now getting ready for this training session, and pumped to walk out and play another Boxing Day test, but more importantly with a series on the line.”
Australia lead the series 1-0 ahead of the Boxing Day test in Melbourne after crushing South Africa inside two days in the first test in Brisbane.
On the matter of whether, in hindsight, it may have been better to step down from the test side for the Perth and Adelaide matches while the ban process was going on in the background – the hearing was originally slated for December 14 – Warner was adamant.
“I’ve never had that in me to quit or back down, so for me I feel like I can get through anything, and at the time I was focused on scoring runs and doing the best job I could for the team,” he said.
“I’d still do the same thing again, I’m about getting out there and doing the best I can for the team. I’ve moved on from that, I’m in a great, positive mindset now.”
In the statement he released to withdraw from the process, Warner gave particular attention to the effect it was having on his family. On Saturday he expanded on how he and his wife Candice were in the midst of difficult conversations with their children about some elements of the public spotlight they are under.
“It is quite challenging, especially now my eight-year-old Ivy, she knows exactly what’s going on, so it’s quite confronting when they see cameras jumping out of everywhere and putting microphones in my face,” Warner said.
“But we’re trying to educate them and teach them about what it’s like to be where I am, in this fortunate position, and what role you guys play in our profession as well. They’re tough conversations, but we’re not trying to scare them at all and that’s why we’re trying to keep it even keel on what it’s like to be as an Australian player.”
Warner was emphatic, however, in saying that the episode had not curdled improving relationships between CA and the team in more general terms.
The governing body’s chair, Lachlan Henderson, was equally eager to concentrate on Warner’s 100-test milestone rather than the dramas that preceded it.
“The process has been well publicised, and I won’t go through that again,” Henderson said.
“But it’s just a terrific time this test match that we’re celebrating Dave Warner’s 100th test. We should be focusing on his achievements on the field.”
