David Warner – At Perth Test, my mental health probably wasn’t where I needed it to be 100 percent
The opener-batter David Warner had emphasized his dismay at Cricket Australia’s treatment of his leadership ban appeal, noting that the process mentally affected him ahead of the home series against West Indies recently.
The opener-batter David Warner had emphasized his dismay at Cricket Australia’s treatment of his leadership ban appeal, noting that the process mentally affected him ahead of the home series against West Indies recently.
Ahead of his 100th Test for Australia, the opener however conceded that he never considered opting out of the two-match series despite the drama that unfolded in the background.
While both Warner and CA agreed and wanted a closed-door hearing, regarding the process, the board-appointed independent commissioners insisted on it being public. The former Australia vice-captain had then given a strong statement withdrawing his appeal, stating that he wasn’t willing “for my family to be the washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry”.
“We reached out in February. So we have no idea how it went on this far and only CA can answer that and they’ll probably give you the same thing that they always give everyone else, they don’t give an answer,”
Warner said at the MCG on Saturday (December 24).
“Leading into the Perth Test, my mental health probably wasn’t where I needed it to be at to be 100 percent. And that was challenging at the time. If I had it my way we would have had it all sorted. From the CA point of view, I didn’t have any support. My teammates and the staff in our team were absolutely amazing, and my family and friends – they got me through that period.”
However, Warner expressed he never considered stepping aside from national assignment.
“I’ve never had that in me to quit or to back down,”
he said.
“I feel like I can get through anything. At the time I was focused on scoring runs and [doing] the best job I could for the team. I’d still do the same thing again because that’s what I’m about, I’m about going out there and doing the best I can for the team. It is what it is now – I’ve moved on and I’m in a great positive mindset now.”
Warner however did not preclude the possibility of having one more discussion with CA once the South Africa series, beginning with the Boxing Day Test at the iconic MCG, is done with.
“I’ll have that conversation once that series is done,”
he said.
“For me, it’s about staying in the right frame of mind to take on the South Africans. I’m pumped to play another Boxing Day test and more importantly, we’ve got a series that’s on the line.”