David Warner’s lifetime leadership ban lifted by Cricket Australia after six years

Cricket Australia (CA) has reversed the lifetime leadership ban on David Warner after six years since.

The infamous ball-tampering scandal back in the 2018 Cape Town Test match against South Africa. Warner, along with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, were found guilty, after which all three players were suspended temporarily.

Warner was the vice-captain when Australia toured South Africa. Smith returned to leading Australia across formats, but Warner’s ban on leadership stayed. On Friday, October 25, the three-member review panel, comprising Jeff Gleeson KC, Jane Seawright and Alan Sullivan KC, determined that Warner had met all the necessary criteria to have the ban lifted.

The review panel’s decision is effective immediately. It also means that Warner is now eligible to lead the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL).

“The respectful and contrite tone of his (Warner’s) responses, as well as the content impressed the Review Panel and led it to the 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 said in its decision.

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.”

CA Chief Executive Nick Hockley said, “In 2022, we updated the Code of Conduct to ensure there was a fair and rigorous process in place for all players and player support personnel to have long-term sanctions reviewed. I am pleased David has chosen to have his sanction reviewed and that he will be eligible to take up leadership positions in Australian Cricket this summer.”

Warner retired from Test cricket back in January after the series against Pakistan. The southpaw also retired from T20Is after Australia’s exit from the T20 World Cup earlier this year in the United States and West Indies. Warner had signed a two-year deal with the Thunder, committing to play the entire season in the BBL.