He’s an absolute ripper: Langer hails Warner’s presence in team

Melbourne, July 5 (IANS) Australia head coach Justin Langer on Sunday called David Warner a ‘ripper’, saying the senior batsman has been a fantastic addition to the side since he made a comeback after the ball-tampering incident.

Steve Smith and Warner were handed with respective one-year bans for their involvement in the ball-tampering controversy in the Test match against South Africa in March 2018.

Warner, who was identified as the orchestrator of the incident which prompted a review of the “win-at-all-cost” Australian cricket culture, was slapped with a lifetime captaincy ban. Smith, however, is now eligible for a leadership role.

“I don’t think he’ll (Warner) be a captain of Australia again because of where we’re at, but I love having him in the team. He’s an absolute ripper,” Langer told Channel Nine television’s ‘Sports Sunday’.

Langer also likened Warner to unbeaten boxing great Floyd Mayweather.

“Look, I support him. Having David Warner in the team is like having Floyd Mayweather in the team,” Langer said.

Warner had a World Cup to remember in 2019 since making his comeback and followed it with a sensational Australian Test summer which included his career-best 335 not out.

“I love him. He talks it up, he is a great player by any calculations and he’s been fantastic in the team over the last two years,” Langer said.

Meanwhile, former Australia batsman Michael Hussey recently said the 2020 T20 World Cup, slated to be played in October-November Down Under, will have to be postponed as it will be a logistical nightmare to bring different teams and get them prepare for the tournament amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am really fearful about the T20 World Cup to be honest and the reason for that is I think it is okay to bring out one team to play international cricket and get them to isolate and stay safe and prepare well for a series,” Hussey said during ‘HotSpot: The Cricket Podcast’ by Chetan Narula (sports journalist and broadcaster) and Deep Dasgupta (former Indian cricketer and broadcaster).

“But having to bring a number of teams and getting them to isolate to prepare and then move around the country to different venues I think that will be a logistical nightmare.

“From what we are hearing perhaps the T20 World Cup will have to be postponed for 2021 or even 2022,” he added.

–IANS

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