"It bothers me" - Candice Warner comes out in support of husband over lifetime leadership ban

Candice Warner has once again come out in support of her husband David Warner over the lifetime leadership ban imposed on him by Cricket Australia (CA) for his role in the 'Sandpapergate' scandal in 2018.

The Cape Town Test between Australia and South Africa in March 2018 saw three Aussie cricketers, Steve Smith, Cameron Bancroft and Warner, slapped with bans for using sandpaper to tamper with the ball. All three later pleaded guilty.

While Smith and Warner were handed a 12-month ban, Bancroft was suspended for nine months. Smith was given a further 12-month ban in which he was ineligible to take up leadership roles. Warner, on the other hand, was given a lifetime leadership ban as it was believed it was he who conceptualized the plan to use sandpaper to roughen up the ball.

Candice has been vocal about the ban since the very beginning. She recently said the ban bothers her, while her husband is unperturbed by it.

Speaking to Triple M, Candice stated:

“Yeah, it bothers me. I don’t like injustice, so it does bother me. But it doesn’t really bother him because he can go and captain in the UAE, he can go and captain in India where people appreciate his cricketing brain and what he can bring to a team.”

Meanwhile, a report by Ben Horne of News Corp Australia suggested that CA could review the lifetime captaincy ban imposed on Warner.

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"Dave’s just accepted he has this ban now" - Candice Warner

While talks have been ongoing about possibly lifting Warner's lifetime leadership ban, Candice said that possibility wouldn’t necessarily lure his husband back to play in the Big Bash League (BBL). The southpaw has played just three BBL matches so far in his career, with the last of those coming in 2013.

She stated:

“Regardless of whether the ban is lifted or not, if he plays Big Bash, it’s a decision we talk about what’s best for the family in this period. Also, there’s another league going on in the UAE, which financially (has) much bigger money."

Candice added:

“It’s not just a matter of lifting Dave’s ban, it’s a matter of what’s best for our family. And Dave’s just accepted he has this ban now.”

Recently, Pat Cummins also came out in support of the star opener, saying that he disagrees with the idea of a lifetime leadership ban. It remains to be seen whether CA will consider lifting the ban, which will enable Warner to return to leadership roles.

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