Monday’s change to Cricket Australia’s player code of conduct allowed David Warner to request the lifting of his lifetime leadership suspension. Due to his involvement in the ball tampering incident in Cape Town in 2018, the explosive opener and former Test vice-captain was barred from holding any leadership positions in Australia. He had a one-year playing ban as well, but he recovered to restore his spot in the national team in all three formats of the game. Warner will now be entitled to ask a panel of three code of conduct commissioners to review his captaincy ban in accordance with Cricket Australia’s revised guidelines.
The 36-year-old must demonstrate remorse and provide proof of improved behaviour in order to prove that “exceptional circumstances exist to justify modifying a sanction.” “Players and player support personnel are capable of genuine reform or rehabilitation,” the new rule states. “It is intended to provide the player or player support personnel with an opportunity to resume their previously held positions or responsibilities in specific circumstances,” CA added.
Players had no opportunity to appeal a sanction under the former code of conduct once it had been adopted. Australia’s T20 team is currently led by Aaron Finch, with Pat Cummins leading the team in Test and ODI matches. If Warner’s suspension were to be lifted, Finch — who recently resigned as captain of the 50-over format — would be a strong candidate to take over as T20 captain.
Along with Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood, and Alex Carey, Warner would also be a candidate to fill in for Cummins or serve as his vice-captain. He might be able to guide Sydney Thunder of the Big Bash League as well. After conspiring with the then-skipper Smith and Cameron Bancroft to tamper with the ball during the third Test in Cape Town, Warner was painted as the main antagonist in the “Sandpaper-gate” ball-tampering scandal against South Africa in 2018. Warner was also given a one-year suspension, although Smith’s leadership punishment only lasted two.