David Warner vs Mitchell Johnson saga: AB de Villiers tells both men to resolve differences privately

AB de Villiers has commented on the David Warner vs Mitchell Johnson saga and urged both men to resolve the issue amongst themselves.

The public spat between former Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson and batsman David Warner came to light ahead of the Pakistan series, with tensions flaring over Warner’s selection for the team. The feud was fueled by a series of events, including a controversial text message, newspaper columns, and podcast revelations.

Johnson, on his podcast “The Mitchell Johnson Cricket Show,” disclosed that he had received a ‘pretty bad’ and ‘disappointing’ text message from Warner earlier in the year. This message was in response to Johnson’s newspaper column where he had questioned the public defense of Warner’s place in the Test squad by Warner’s wife, Candice Warner.

Johnson’s criticism of Warner was not limited to the text exchange. He publicly questioned Warner’s selection for the Pakistan series, referencing Warner’s involvement in the infamous 2018 ball-tampering scandal, known as ‘Sandpaper-gate.’ Warner, along with teammates Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, had been banned from cricket for a year due to their roles in the incident. Johnson highlighted Warner’s lack of accountability for the scandal and his poor form in Test cricket since then.

In an article for the Sydney Morning Herald, Johnson expressed his disapproval of Warner receiving a hero’s send-off, given his recent performance and past controversies. He pointed out Warner’s declining batting average and questioned the decision to allow Warner to dictate his retirement date, suggesting it portrayed arrogance and disrespect.

De Villiers, on his YouTube channel, has asked both men to solve the issue amongst themselves and not let the world get in on the matter.

“I just don’t like this public conversation between the two of them. Just pick up the phone and sort it out. Ask the guy let’s go out for a cold drink and sort the issues out. I feel there are some scars from the dressing room but don’t let the world get in on this,” said De Villiers.

De Villiers said that while Warner can be brutal on the field, he is a ‘gentle giant’ off it. The former South African skipper admitted that Warner does get angry quickly and this may have collided with Johnson’s character.

“I have played many cricket games with this guy (Warner) and on the field he can be brutal, but off the field, he is a gentle giant. He is a nice guy. Something switches on the field just like Dale Steyn. I have played with Davey at Delhi Daredevils and maybe there is a bit of short fuse sometimes. Maybe his and Mitch’s short fuse collided,”