Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin criticised his ex-teammate Mitchell Johnson for an "aggressive attack" on veteran opener David Warner. The dispute over Warner's planned farewell from Test cricket has created a division in Australian cricket, with Johnson attributing it to a "pretty bad" text message from Warner.
"Mitch's summary of it was a bit odd and left field. I don't mind past players saying, 'OK, this is why I wouldn't have him in the team, this is what I'd look at'. It looked like a bit of an aggressive attack on Davey's personality, which I don't think you need," Haddin told the Willow Talk podcast.
In a column for The West Australian, Johnson expressed his disapproval, questioning the rationale behind allowing Warner, whom he perceives as a struggling Test opener, to dictate the terms of his retirement. Johnson also brought attention to Warner's involvement in the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal, "Sandpapergate," suggesting that Warner's desire for a hero's send-off reflects arrogance and disrespect.
Warner has expressed his desire to conclude his red-ball career at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) during the third Test against Pakistan, scheduled from January 3-7, 2024. Johnson, who retired from Test cricket in November 2015 with 313 wickets in 73 Tests, shared the field with Warner for over five years, including the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash and the 2015 ODI World Cup victory.
"Yes, you can have an opinion on what you think the team should be, but I don't like when past players go really hard in a personal angle to the players and it felt a little bit like that to me. Everyone's entitled to their opinions on selections. He attacked David and George on levels you don't want to see anywhere, to be honest. It left a bit of a bad taste in a few people's mouths, I think," Haddin added.
Meanwhile, Warner has been named in Australia’s 14-man squad for the inaugural men’s Test of the summer against Pakistan, commencing in Perth on December 14, 2023. Despite having scored only one Test century since January 2020, Warner is slated to open the batting with Usman Khawaja. The first test of Australia’s three-match series against Pakistan is scheduled to kick off on December 14, at Optus Stadium.
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