David Warner is set to meet with Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley in the coming weeks about his lifetime leadership ban as the organisation looks to appoint a new ODI captain.
Aaron Finch stood down from the post after this month’s ODI series against New Zealand, leaving big shoes to fill with a 50-over World Cup now just over 12 months away.
Test captain Pat Cummins is considered the frontrunner for the job, but Warner is seemingly not out of the equation despite currently being barred from holding any official leadership role in Australian cricket.
Watch Australia’s Tour of India LIVE. Every match Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Warner was slapped with a lifetime leadership ban for his involvement in the 2018 Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at a Kayo Sports launch for the summer of cricket, Warner said he feels that the ban was not just driven by the events in South Africa.
He said that there was “more to it”, including 2017’s bitter and protracted dispute between players and CA over a new MOU.
“Unfortunately a lot of the events before 2018 were with the board. The MOU stuff and all that,” Warner said.
“There was a lot of stuff that was… things got over and above in terms of more than the Cape Town stuff. There was more to it.
“I think that’s where my decision, the penalty that was handed down was more of stuff that was happening before that.”
Now more than four years removed — and having served a one-year playing suspension, too — Warner remains one of Australia’s strongest and most credentialed leaders, albeit in an unofficial capacity.
Finch’s departure has now seen Hockley open the door to discussing his ban.
“I have spoken to Nick Hockley, we’re going to try and have a catch up,” Warner said.
“It’s very difficult at the moment … but I’m sure in the next couple of weeks we might be able to. But there’s no rush for anything.”
Warner said that he is yet to speak with CA about being a captain despite mass changes to the board that imposed the ban. Only John Harnden and Michelle Tredenick remain.
Nonetheless, Warner suggested that he is happy to be considered for the ODI captaincy, although his cricket comes first.
“I haven’t had any conversations at all. But look I think at the end of the day any opportunity to captain would be a privilege,” Warner said.
“But, from my end, there’s a lot of water to go under the bridge, to have those conversations with Cricket Australia and my main focus is just actually playing cricket.”
Asked what he would say to the board given the opportunity, Warner said he was actually more eager to listen.
“I think at the end of the day it’s about what questions do they want to ask me,” Warner said. “That’s where the conversation starts and then we can lead from there.
“At the end of the day it’s almost a completely new ball game from when 2018 happened. I would be interested to see and hear what their thoughts are and what not. And then we can probably go from there.”
Regardless, Cummins remains a more likely successor to Finch, should CA be able to find an arrangement in which the bowler still finds time for ample rest.
Warner is of the same opinion, saying he expects his teammate to be offered the position before himself.
“Obviously Pat has the Test captaincy and he will be offered the job if he wants to take it, and rightfully so,” Warner said.
“For me, I know everyone is talking about it and I’m being endorsed by a few people but it’s something for me, it’s just about making sure Cricket Australia, if they’re going to have those conversations with me that they do have those conversations.”
Cummins also suggested he is eager to take the role, but has concerns about managing his workload in the face of an ever-expanding schedule.
The 29-year-old, who became a father last year and a husband this year, said it’s “unrealistic” to be a multi-format captain who plays every game.
He added that his priority remains Test cricket, having just landed the plum role of Australia’s red ball captain at the start of the 2021-22 Ashes.
As such, Cummins has an eye on the ODI captaincy, but says there will need to be further discussions about the finer details.
“Things change – there might be times where the captain might not necessarily play every game and someone else steps in,” Cummins told reporters at the SCG.
“There’s a lot to think through, for whoever it is.
“I love being Test captain – hopefully I’m there at the ODI World Cup as a player, firstly.
“If it comes up and it works, it would obviously be a huge privilege, but if not, it’s totally fine.
“I don’t want anything to take away from my role as Test captain, so there’d be a bit to work through.”
Asked about the option of sharing the official title of ODI captain, he said: “If the captaincy goes to a bowler and there’s times that you need to prioritise other formats, a vice-captain could step in — whether it’s a keeper or a batter.
“It’s probably different to what we’ve all grown up watching, the way that captains and teams operate, but the reality is there’s a lot more cricket nowadays in the schedule.
“Different models of leadership — I wouldn’t be surprised (if there’s two captains).”
Cummins wouldn’t be drawn on the possibility of Warner becoming captain, but labelled him as a “great leader”, whether that’s formally or informally.
Another mooted candidate is Steve Smith who, unlike Warner, has no barriers to the captaincy and is already Cummins’ Test vice-captain.
But Smith was surprisingly dismissive of the idea when asked after Australia’s ODI series against New Zealand.
The former Australia captain said he wouldn’t put his hand up to replace Finch, and was uncertain about what his stance would be should CA tap him on the shoulder.
“I don’t know. I honestly don’t know what to do right now,” Smith said, jokingly adding: “I’m getting old myself, so I’m probably the next one to retire. So we’ll see.”