'Players can't stand him': Langer's huge Warner dilemma
Leading cricket writer Robbert Craddock has questioned whether David Warner can come back into the Australian side when “half the players can’t stand him”.
New Australian coach Justin Langer has said banned trio Warner, Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft will be welcomed back with open arms after their suspension for ball tampering come to an end.
However Langer has also vowed to rebuild the tarnished culture and image of the Aussie side, which may be at odds with bringing Warner back into the national set-up.
“For me his biggest issue is David Warner,” Craddock told SEN Radio on Monday.
“Langer wants mateship in the team and I don’t believe mateship and Warner are compatible, because half the players can’t stand him, they contacted Cricket Australia saying they didn’t want to play with him again.”
Warner was spotted drinking by himself in a bar during the fallout of the cheating scandal in South Africa in March, which Craddock said was because of a rift between the opener and senior members of the team.
“It’s not their decision but that’s the vibe,” Craddock said.
“If he wants cultural shift how do you have cultural shift and Warner in the same team? That’s my question.
“A lot of people (say) ‘If you took Warner out of the team ‘Guess what? All your behavioural problems are solved aren’t they?
“But who are the other trouble makers in the team? Is there another one?”
Tim Paine will shepherd Australia through their first assignment since the ball-tampering crisis but it appears likely to be a temporary posting, with national selectors yet to settle on a permanent one-day international skipper.
Paine, who took over as Australia’s Test captain during the tour of South Africa, will lead a 15-man squad for five ODIs in June.
Aaron Finch has been named as vice-captain for the first assignment under Langer, while offspinner Nathan Lyon has earned a long-awaited ODI recall, having last represented Australia in white-ball cricket in August 2016.
Paine’s steady leadership is likely to prove crucial with the English press certain to drill down on the ball-tampering incident.
But the 33-year-old’s future is uncertain beyond that tour.
He will take no part in Australia’s upcoming Twenty20 matches and is no certainty to retain the ODI captaincy for the 2019 World Cup.
“Tim is a strong leader and will captain the (ODI) side for this series, supported by Aaron,” chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said on Tuesday.
“A decision on a permanent one-day captain will be made in due course.”
Australia will play one T20 game in England followed by a T20 tri-series in July in Zimbabwe, which also involves Pakistan.
Finch will captain the T20 side with Alex Carey named as his deputy in a major endorsement for the young wicketkeeper.
Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins have been ruled out for both tours in the hope they will be available for the Test series against Pakistan later this year.
with AAP
