Damned as the chief plotter in the ball-tampering scandal, David Warner will never be considered for captaincy after serving his one-year ban, Cricket Australia announced on Wednesday.
Warner, who made headlines in 2009 by becoming the first player in 130 years to represent Australia without having featured in a first-class match was sent home from South Africa in disgrace.
Following CA’s investigation into the infamous incident in Cape Town, it has come to light that Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft knew what they were getting into but it was Warner who developed the “plan to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball”.
After serving the ban, Smith still has a slim chance to captain Australia again but Warner will not be considered at all.
“Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft will not be considered for team leadership positions until a minimum of 12 months after the conclusion of their respective suspensions from international and domestic cricket,” said CA in a statement.
“Any consideration of future leadership would be conditional on acceptance by fans and the public, form and authority among the playing group. David Warner will not be considered for team leadership positions in the future,” it added.
Warner has also been charged for instructing “a junior player to carry out a plan to take steps to attempt to artificially alter the condition of the ball using sandpaper”.
The ball-tampering scandal has already brought Warner financial misery, his $1.8 million (INR 12 crores) deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2018 has been cancelled. When his ban ends, his dream of captaining Australia will also have died.
