Australia’s left-handed batter Usman Khawaja backed his fellow opener, David Warner, after the latter was bashed by the former Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson over the ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
Khawaja, who has been opening for Australia in Test cricket alongside Warner, said he “strongly disagreed” with Johnson’s column in The West Australian where the former pacer stated that the 37-year-old never fully accepted responsibility for being involved in the Sandpaper scandal.
Khawaja opened up on Johnson’s criticism and backed Warner and Steve Smith, who was banned for a year as well.
"Davey Warner and Steve Smith are heroes in my mind," Khawaja said. "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."
It must be noted that on Sunday, Johnson, who represented Australia in 256 international matches, questioned why is Warner being treated this well by the selectors despite being part of a ball-tampering scandal in 2018.
"It's been five years and David Warner has still never really owned the ball-tampering scandal," Johnson wrote. "Now the way he is going out is underpinned by more of the same arrogance and disrespect to our country.
"As we prepare for David Warner's farewell series, can somebody please tell me why?"
Warner has a 26.74 average in red-ball cricket over the last two years and struggled to score big during the Ashes 2023 as the left-handed batter could only amass 285 runs in 10 innings at an average of 28.50.
Johnson couldn't understand why a player who has been struggling badly in Test cricket announced his own retirement and is getting a hero's send-off
"Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his retirement date. And why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero's send-off?” he added.
- David Warner