Australian Test team captain Pat Cummins has called on Cricket Australia to reinstate David Warner in the leadership role. Pat Cummins has reportedly lobbied Cricket Australia (CA) to lift David Warner’s leadership ban, which was placed on him after he tampered with the ball during the third Test in Cape Town, South Africa in 2018.
Warner and then Australia captain Steve Smith were suspended for a year, while Smith was banned from taking leadership roles for two years, while Warner was banned from any position for the rest of his professional life.
Cummins, who currently leads Australia in a two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle, said he disagreed with Warner’s lifetime leadership ban. Cummins told The Herald Sun, “I’m giving my point of view. Fundamentally, I don’t agree with banning someone for life.”
Cummins’ comments come ahead of CA’s board meeting scheduled for next month, where the Warner issue is likely to be discussed. Cummins said: “People are allowed to learn and improve. Yeah, basically I don’t agree with that concept. He (Warner) has been a great captain of our team. So if he ever comes through as a leader, that would be great.” .
Warner has been brilliant in the 2022 Indian Premier League season as well as playing for the country. He was instrumental in helping Australia win their first ICC T20 World Cup title in the United Arab Emirates last year and played some brilliant innings in the recently concluded white ball series against Sri Lanka.