Khawaja bats for embattled Warner

MELBOURNE, December 4

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Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has mounted a spirited defence of David Warner after former teammate Mitchell Johnson questioned his place in the Test squad and said he had not taken full responsibility for the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.

Warner, named in a 14-man squad for the series-opener against Pakistan, has made no secret of his hopes to bow out of the longest format after the third Test at his home Sydney Cricket Ground.

Johnson wrote in a column that the 37-year-old opener did not deserve his place in the side based on form, or warrant a “hero’s send-off” because he had “never really owned” his part in the ball-tampering scandal.

Khawaja disagreed with Johnson’s view, saying: “Warner and Smith are heroes in my mind. They missed a year of cricket through dark times. No one’s perfect. Mitchell Johnson’s not perfect. What they have done for the game — how they have grown the game — far outweighs anything else they have done. To say Dave Warner or anyone else involved in Sandpaper (gate) is not a hero … I strongly disagree because they have paid their dues. A year out of cricket is a long time.” — Reuters