From being a national hero, to staring at exile - the 40 minutes that turned David Warner's life upside down for good.
Cricket Australia (CA) has come down heavily on its tainted cricketers in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Steve Smith and David Warner have been banned for a year, while Cameron Bancroft gets a 9-month suspension.
The fall from grace isn't limited to one individual in the Australian cricket set up, but Warner's loss seems the biggest. From being a part of batting royalty in world cricket, the diminutive left-hander is staring at exile today.
Smith, who will not be allowed to captain the Australian team for another year after his ban, will most-likely find his way back into the team. His Bradmanesque run with the bat over the past several years will surely not be forgotten.
In Bancroft's case, too, the future doesn't look entirely bleak. There's no reason why the 25-year-old can't prove his mettle once again and make a comeback.
That, however, cannot be said about Warner. According to the sanctions imposed by CA, the 31-year-old won't ever be allowed to lead an Australian team. That's a telling statement from the board.
Reports have emerged that Warner had grown into a villainous figure in Australian cricket. While players couldn't deal with his brash attitude, the administration was peeved with his role in the bitter pay dispute last year.
The ball-tampering scandal, thus, couldn't have broken at a worse time for Warner. The dislike for him in general is such that several experts are convinced he won't ever don the national colours again.
The lunch interval on day three of the third Test between South Africa and Australia seems to have turned Warner's life upside down for good. Just a week ago, he was the vice-captain of the Australian cricket team, proud skipper of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and one of the finest active cricketers in the world. As of today, though, all of that has been taken away from him. Along with considerable wealth, of course. He might've been going through a rough patch on and off the field, but no one could've predicted such a dramatic turnaround.
Makes one wonder, if only Warner had thought better during that 40-minute lunch interval at the Newlands Cricket Ground, he wouldn't have come out as the poster boy of this great cricket tragedy.
Warner apologises
Meanwhile, Warner broke his silence over the ball-tampering saga on Thursday with a post on social media in which he apologised and accepted responsibility for his "part" in the scandal.
The opening batsman was suspended from international and state cricket for 12 months on Wednesday and banned from ever holding a leadership position in the test team again for his role in the cheating in Cape Town.
"I am currently on my way back to Sydney," Warner posted in a message to "cricket fans in Australia and all over the world" on Twitter. "Mistakes have been made which have damaged cricket. I apologise for my part and take responsibility for it. I understand the distress this has caused the sport and its fans. It's a stain on the game we all love and I have loved since I was a boy."
Here's his tweet
Warner was identified as the instigator of the tampering in the findings of the Cricket Australia investigation, instructing junior batsman Bancroft how to scuff up one half of the ball with sandpaper during the third test against South Africa.
As well as the ignominy of being identified as the main villain of the piece in the Cricket Australia report, Warner has paid a heavy financial penalty for his misjudgement.
A subsequent ban from the Indian Premier League (IPL) cost him $1.85 million this season, while sports manufacturer ASICS and technology giant LG have both said they would no longer work with him.
Warner is expected to land in his home city in the late evening local time on a separate flight from Smith but confirmed that he would not be taking the opportunity to address media. "I need to take a deep breath and spend time with my family, friends and trusted advisors," he added. "You will hear from me in a few days."
(Inputs from Reuters)
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