David Warner’s lifetime leadership ban lifted by Cricket Australia

The lifetime leadership ban that was imposed on David Warner following his involvement in Australia’s ball-tampering scandal has been lifted effective immediately, Cricket Australia (CA) announced.

In a unanimous decision, an independent three-member review panel determined that Warner had met the necessary criteria to have the ban lifted.

In 2018, Warner was banned from holding leadership roles in all Australian cricket competitions after being charged by CA with devising a plan to change the condition of the ball using sandpaper during a Test against South Africa.

The ban was lifted after Warner lodged an appeal with CA, with the review panel noting in its decision the “content” and “respectful and contrite tone of his (Warner’s) responses”.

The panel said it came to a “unanimous view that he was sincere and genuine in acknowledging responsibility for the conduct and in his statement that he had extreme remorse for his conduct”.

The panel also considered references citing “the contribution that Mr Warner has made, and can make in the future, towards the development of young cricketers in Australia if they were given the opportunity to be led by Mr Warner, his important continuing role in fostering interest in cricket especially with the South Asian community in Australia and generally”.

Warner bowed out of Test cricket in January after 112 appearances and 8,786 runs at a fine average of 44.59, with his final Test at his home ground in Sydney as Australia defeated Pakistan.

However, the 37-year-old said earlier this week he would be willing to u-turn on his Test retirement and fill Australia’s problem opening position for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India, commencing in Perth on November 22.