David Warner, Australian cricket team’s swashbuckling opener, has opened up about how his relationship with wife Candice.
The couple recently appeared on the 98 Podcast, where David spilled the beans about his rowdy tendencies in the early stages of his career – a phase most remembered for the scandal that erupted after he punched England’s current Test skipper Joe Root at a bar in 2013.
The southpaw said ‘alcohol’ had featured heavily in his cricket upbringing – a habit he only decided to leave behind after Candice strongly raised her voice.
“I had a few misdemeanors..when I was younger I used to drink a fair bit and burn the candle at both ends,” David said.
“You can do that when you’re young and I was able to do that – although I don’t condone it.
“I got a bit of a slap to the back of the head to say ‘pull your head in’.
“Candice was asking me questions like ‘Why are you not disciplined? Why are you drinking alcohol? Why are you not getting up early when you’re competing?’
“It didn’t sit well with Candice.”
David further admitted that drinking alcohol was a culture in the Australian dressing rooms, but Candice left ‘no choice’ for him but to listen to her even though all of his teammates drank. He continued: “You don’t realize what it takes to get to that next level.. but if I didn’t change the way I was and what I was doing, I was out the door.”
The 33-year-old is glad that he made the sacrifices with his bad habits for the better and he met Candice [married in 2015] at the right time, saying: “We met at the right time and if I didn’t make my sacrifices, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. I had to change and I changed for the better – and I have to credit Candice for that.”
David signed off by saying, “Cricket is not the priority, the priority is my family and my children. I always feel that cricket gets in the way of my family time. I hate sleeping in knowing that Candice is looking after three kids and it’s so rewarding to come home to them.”
