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'He won't play': Wife's bombshell revelation about David Warner

Candice Warner, pictured here with husband David.
Candice Warner has revealed David is unlikely to play in the BBL ever again. Image: Getty

Candice Warner has questioned Cricket Australia's decision to ban husband David from holding a leadership position with Australian cricket for the rest of his career, revealing he'll never play in the BBL again because of it.

Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were all banned for their roles in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australian cricket.

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Smith and Warner, who were captain and vice-captain at the time, were both suspended for 12 months while Bancroft was banned for nine months.

Smith was barred from holding a leadership position in Australian cricket for two years, while Warner was deemed never to hold a leadership position again for the rest of his career.

Last week Smith was elevated to the Test vice-captaincy as Pat Cummins' deputy after Tim Paine stepped down over his sexting scandal.

However the decision to hand Smith a leadership position again has caused controversy, with Shane Warne and Ian Chappell among those to condemn the move.

“With Sandpapergate back in South Africa a few years ago, how can the captain be allowed to take up another leadership role where a player like David Warner, who’s probably got the best cricket brain in the team, isn’t allowed to?” Warne said.

“If you’re going to ban a player but allow the captain to have another chance, it doesn’t make sense to me.

“I would’ve thought they’re either both available again, and we’ve all moved on, and we’ve put that in the past, and you can be captain or vice-captain again, or you can’t … I don’t think you can pick and choose one player or not.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Candice Warner backed up those sentiments.

“I would have to agree with Shane’s comments when he said that David has a fantastic cricketing brain,” she told 2GB radio.

“And anyone who knows the game or is within the team would definitely say that. His cricketing brain in fantastic.

"He’s also captained the side and had some really great success when he did captain the Australian team over in Sri Lanka, they won that series, over in India, they won that series.

“I think out of nine or 10 games he’s only lost one as captain. So he is a great captain.”

David Warner, pictured here with wife Candice and their daughters after a Test match against New Zealand in 2019.
David Warner with wife Candice and their daughters after a Test match against New Zealand in 2019. (Photo by Graham Denholm - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images) (Cricket Australia via Getty Imag)

David Warner unlikely to play in BBL ever again

Candice also made the bombshell revelation that her husband will never play in the BBL again, even after his international career is over.

She said David would rather captain sides in other T20 leagues around the world than not captain a side in the BBL.

“It is disappointing because at this stage, when David decides to retire from Test cricket, he won’t play Big Bash,” she said.

“And that’s really disappointing for the Australian fans and kids and anyone who loves T20 cricket - the fact that David Warner will never play Big Bash again.”

“You also have to consider that there’s so many leagues around the world that are shorter than the Big Bash.

“The Big Bash is a very long tournament. There are tournaments in Dubai in January that may be a better option with the family. David can still be with us Christmas and fly to Dubai early January for a shorter period of time.

“So that is also an option as well and in a few year time, who knows what other tournaments will be going on around the world.”

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