MITCHELL JOHNSON: David Warner’s criticism of Cam Bancroft was on the mark and highlights double standards

Praise in public and criticise in private.

It means that when you are a player in a team environment, you have an understanding that you are going to look after your teammates when asked about performance.

That’s part of the gig as a professional cricketer. When a team member has an injury and you don’t want it getting out, you learn how to protect the team in that situation.

If a teammate is underperforming or has a technical flaw in their batting or bowling, you deal with that in the media without throwing them under the bus. A good team man or woman will pull you aside privately and give you constructive feedback.

The other side of this is when ex-players become commentators or opinion writers. They also have a duty.

While it is difficult to be critical at times, sometimes we have to be when sitting on the other side of the fence. But don’t forget, we give more praise than the negative stuff.

But when a column or something you say in the commentary box creates a buzz because an ex-cricketer has been critical about a former teammate, the media jump all over it.

My first experience with this was a few years ago when India was touring Australia. In the pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval I was on the radio when I made some comments about Mitchell Starc.

I basically said Starc was at his best when his body language is up and he puffs his chest out showing confidence. Not when he drops his shoulders and head, because that lets the batsmen know they have it over him in that moment. I went on the explain that when he is up, the team is up in the field.

I thought nothing of it but later that evening it was headlines. ‘Former teammate sprays Starc’ and so on. I was instantly in a panic on the inside as that’s not what I was saying.

I was just trying to explain to listeners that body language is important, as it’s also an issue I had to deal with throughout my career.

It was just basic insight, as that was my job.

Long story short, I was so nervous that Starcy had read the headlines (which I did not and do not write) before we had an interview with him that next morning. Thankfully, he knew I wasn’t having a dig at him and was all good about it and understood what I was saying.

Yes, I have written some opinion columns or made comments on air that I worry will be taken personally. And yes, I did write a much-publicised column (on David Warner) last summer that did veer into the personal, which I think I’ve learnt from.

But I do try my best to give insight into what I see and give some reasons for that, rather than just labelling someone as a bad player and that’s that.

It was funny when I saw Warner’s comments slaying Cameron Bancroft about his technique. I have no problem with that, I think he should give his opinion.

That’s what he is paid to do. But when I see that no ex-player or journalist has come out to say “praise in public, criticise in private”, I’m amused with the double standards.

The funny thing is I actually agree that Bancroft has a technical issue with his front leg. But we are now in a world that if you say something critical about a current player, the toys are out of the cot and some sections of the media will attack you to take away and distract you from what you have said.

One thing I noticed recently about some of Australia’s cricket media was that the ones who went after me for my Warner column last summer – which argued he didn’t deserve a farewell series – are the same ones who told Warner to bugger off after he said he would come out of retirement this summer.

Oh, and by the way, many in the media thanked me behind the scenes for giving them something to write about at the start of last summer.

I’m not bitter or angry about any of this. After a few years in the media, I just understand it better now and how people are.

I do enjoy giving comment and writing opinion pieces for The Nightly. It can be difficult and I do second guess myself at times because I would rather write all the positive stuff but I also want to be honest in what I see from my view point as an ex-player.

I may get it wrong sometimes but also right on other occasions. For me, it’s about creating discussion and giving insight. It’s not a personal attack and I hope the current players understand that.

Like I’ve always said, I’m open to chatting to any current players if they want to about the game. And if they don’t like something I’ve said, tell me and we can work through it.