Mitchell Johnson attacks David Warner by questioning his retirement date

Mitchell Johnson has attacked David Warner by questioning his retirement date. The former Australian pacer claimed Warner had not yet recovered from the ball-tampering scandal, to which he had to face a ban of over a year from international cricket. Johnson felt that Warner was arrogant and disrespectful to the country in nominating his retirement date. Johnson gave his opinion on Warner recently.

“Now the way he is going out is underpinned by more of the same arrogance and disrespect to our country,” stated Johnson. Along with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, Warner could not play for Australia for more than a year. The former Australian pacer asked why Warner got to name his retirement date, given the fact that he has been struggling to score runs.

Johnson asked everyone to explain the reason behind the Southpaw getting to set his retirement date. “Why does a struggling Test opener get to nominate his retirement date? And why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero’s send-off?” questioned Johnson. The former left-arm pacer added that no one would forget the Ball-tampering scandal.

Mixed response to Mitchell Johnson’s statement

Johnson questioned Warner if he was bigger than the game, as he set the date for his Test retirement a year before. The statement of Johnson has received mixed opinions from the lovers of the game. While some feel that Warner deserves to have a retirement match given what he has done for Australia for more than a decade and more, others feel that he does not deserve it.

It is interesting to note that Warner has not been in his best form with the bat in the longest format of the game. In the last couple of years, the Southpaw has struggled to score runs in many tours. Against India, England, and many other teams, Warner was not up to the mark. Realizing the same, Warner probably set his retirement as the end of the summer of 2024 against Pakistan.