Mitchell Johnson vows to bury hatchet with David Warner ahead of cricket test against India in Perth
Former fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has vowed to bury the hatchet with ex-teammate David Warner ahead of a likely encounter in Perth this week.
Both ex-cricketers are joining commentary teams ahead of this year’s five-test series against India, with Johnson on Triple M and Warner joining Foxtel.
Johnson launched a broadside against Warner’s farewell summer last year, in a column in The West Australian asking why a “struggling test opener” got to nominate his own retirement date.
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Asked in Perth on Wednesday what he would say if he ran into Warner at the first test in Perth this week, Johnson said it was time to move on.
“We’re adults. You move on. You live our own lives, and we all cross paths at some point,” Johnson said.
“So from my point, I’m an adult, he’s an adult. You say, ‘good day’ and wish each other best, which, yeah, I don’t take too much out of that whole situation.”
Johnson also heaped praise on what he said would be the former opener’s likely approach to commentary.
“It’s not about it’s not about us now we’re in the commentary box — we’re there to give insight,” he said.
“I’ve even mentioned that some of his insight, I’ve agreed with in recent times, he’s going to always be one of those characters that goes harder and you say what he feels.
“I think as a commentator, you want people to give opinion — he’s an ex-player now, he’s in the commentary box like everyone else, and I think he should be able to give that insight.”
In his column last year, Johnson took aim at Warner’s involvement in Sandpapergate.
“Although Warner wasn’t alone in Sandpapergate, he was at the time a senior member of the team and someone who liked to use his perceived power as a ‘leader’,” Johnson wrote.
“Now the way he is going out is underpinned by more of the same arrogance and disrespect to our country. What will fans bring for Warner? Bunnings would sell out of sandpaper.”
Johnson backed in the Aussie side to have the edge over India, after a longer break since their last test match.
“They’re an experienced bowling attack, so we’ve seen them around for a long time now, and they know Perth well, even Optus Stadiums they’ve played there on a few occasions and done well,” he said.
“The Australian bowling lineup is probably looking at the last series that they played and lost, hopefully to take that into this series, they’ve had a bit of a rest as well. So being fresh helps
“We’re in for a tough series.”
Speaking at the same event, famed Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle said the series would swing on the batting performances of the two sides’ number four batters — Virat Kohli and Steve Smith.
“I’m just hoping the provocation for Kohli jeers them on get a few more runs, because he’s a talismanic player,” he said.
“When he when he does well, he lifts the side. If he’s not doing well, he tends to sort of drag the side down a little bit.
“This is the one country where he loves batting . So I’m hoping, if Kohli does well, the series becomes box office.”
