David Warner has called for a ball-tampering probe to be opened against India after controversy during their A-team match against Australia.
During the fourth innings of the match between India A and Australia A in Mackay on Sunday, umpire Shawn Craig accused India of having caused a “scratch” on the ball.
The ball was changed before the fourth morning as a result and both teams notified, with Craig telling India’s players on the field: “When you scratch it, we change the ball. There will be no more discussion, let’s play. This is not a discussion, you will be playing with that ball.”
Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan appeared to dispute the call to change the ball, labelling it “a stupid decision”, before Craig responded saying Kishan would be on report for dissent.
Cricket Australia (CA) issued a statement after the game which said the ball was changed due to “deterioration” and that no further action would be taken, effectively clearing India’s players and allowing them to escape any sanction.
But Warner – who was banned from cricket for 12 months for his role in the ‘Sandpaper-gate’ ball-tampering scandal that engulfed Australian cricket a few years ago – believes CA “squashed [the siutation] as fast as they could” due to India playing a five-Test series in Australia later this month.
And the opener wants to see a full investigation reopened into the incident.
“I think the ultimate decision’s with CA, isn’t it?” Warner said when speaking to reporters after being appointed as captain of Big Bash League team Sydney Thunder on Wednesday. “I think they’ve obviously squashed it as fast as they could, given that India’s coming out here this summer.
“But if the umpires deem that something happened, then I’m sure there’ll be a follow-up and I think the umpires or the match referee should be standing here answering those questions.
“The match referee should be coming out and addressing his own staff, who are the umpires, and if they’re sticking by the umpire’s decisions, then you’ve got to stand up for that. I think that’s obviously a statement that CA probably need to release.”
Cricket Australia declined to comment when Reuters reached out to them.
Warner retired from international cricket earlier his year but has indicated he would be open to returning to the Test arena if Australia want him to help plug the hole they have at the top of the order.
The ex-Australia vice-captain was banned for life from holding any leadership postions within the game after his role in ‘Sandpaper-gate’ but CA rescinded the ban last month after a review panel determined the 38-year-old was genuine in acknowledging responsibility and had “extreme remorse”.
Additional reporting by Reuters
