David Warner reveals why he has no regrets about getting caught cheating in Sandpapergate scandal

Under-fire star David Warner insists he wouldn’t change a thing about his role in Sandpapergate despite the cheating scandal that brought Australian cricket to its knees and resulted in him being kicked out of the game in an unprecedented ban.

When Cameron Bancroft was busted for following Warner’s instructions to scuff the ball with sandpaper in Cape Town in South Africa in 2018, it sent shockwaves through the sport.

Warner and then-captain Steve Smith were suspended for a year, and Bancroft was banned for nine months. In addition, Warner was removed from his leadership role for life, and Smith for two years.

Warner broke down in tears at a press conference when his one-year ban from the game was announced in 2018 – but despite the damage done to the sport, his mental health and his career, he insisted he wouldn’t change a thing about his role. in the Sandpapergate scandal

The star opening batter (pictured with wife Candice) said he did not deserve to be convicted in the ball-tampering episode

But despite the damage done to the game’s image and the stars’ careers, the 36-year-old says he wouldn’t change a thing – and believes he doesn’t deserve to be held accountable for it.

‘I have no regrets. Make your own path, right? Nobody’s perfect and you shouldn’t judge anyone until you’re perfect,’ he told News Corp.

‘Whatever happened to me in my past made me the individual I am and probably brought me to where I am … If I went back and made changes, I wouldn’t be who I am.’

Warner further explained that the one-year ban – which cost him a small fortune – was good for him.

‘There were dark times, but I enjoyed the family time. I enjoy being back in grade cricket and playing with my mates and getting to appreciate all the volunteers who give their time to cricket because they love the sport.’

The 36-year-old (pictured with wife Candice and their daughters) said the one-year ban was good for him as he returned to his cricket roots

The scandal took a toll on Warner and his wife Candice, with the star opener crying at a press conference after his ban was handed down.

He slammed Cricket Australia for failing to support him when the backlash was at its peak and revealed a chance meeting at an airport left him in tears after the team left South Africa.

‘We went to Singapore to get away and had a big mass, and this Australian priest came up to me and gave me his card,’ says Warner.

‘It gave me a sense of, ‘I still love you’. And really … it brought a tear to my eye.’

A slump in form and an ongoing battle with Cricket Australia over the end of his captaincy ban saw Warner make headlines for all the wrong reasons this summer

On Wednesday, he caused panic among the Australian team days before the Boxing Day Test when he posted pictures of himself on a family holiday in Bali (pictured) – only for the episode to be revealed as a joke

Warner has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons recently, thanks to a slump in form, his battle with Cricket Australia over the lifting of his captaincy ban – and a strange series of Instagram posts.

On Tuesday he posted pictures of himself heading to Bali for a break with his family – fooling many into thinking he had left the Aussie team in disarray just days before the Boxing Day Test.

Team media manager Cole Hitchcock said he was ‘not in Bali’ when the media broke the story on him, but although he wasn’t 100 per cent sure, added that he would ‘look into it but I highly doubt it’.

It was later confirmed that Warner was in Sydney and the posts were a ‘joke’ directed at his friend, with the photos from Monday’s Instagram story dated 19 December 2022 – despite the fact they were taken over a year ago.