Katich expressed the view that a portion of the public remains critical of Warner’s actions during the incident, which occurred in the Test against South Africa in Cape Town.The scandal led to the suspension of Warner, then skipper Steve Smith, and Cameron Bancroft.
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In an interview with ‘Sen Radio’ on Wednesday, Katich remarked, “I think it’s hard to say ‘full respect’ because I think there is always going to be an element of the public that didn’t like what happened, and rightfully so.”
Warner, who recently announced his retirement from ODIs, is currently playing his farewell Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The 37-year-old opener was handed a lifetime leadership ban for his role in the ball-tampering episode, which severely impacted his public image.
Katich acknowledged that many people were shocked by the actions of the Australian team during the scandal, stating, “A lot of us couldn’t believe what the Australian team resorted to.”
While he recognized the public’s reservations, Katich urged against solely blaming Warner for the entire episode.
“To blame him entirely for that whole episode is pretty naive. I think in time, I’ve got no doubt there will be more said about it. He took the wrap along with Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith, but I think the public felt there was more to it than just those three,” said Katich.
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Smith and Warner received one-year bans, while Bancroft faced a nine-month suspension. Despite the setbacks, Katich acknowledged the difficulty Warner faced in returning to international cricket after the scandal.
“At the time, I think what he did was he kept his mouth shut after the initial apology and then got on with trying to go back out there and try to play as good cricket as he possibly could. That wouldn’t have been easy to do,” said Katich.
He highlighted the significance of Warner’s ability to overcome the challenges and perform well in cricket after the Cape Town incident.
(With inputs from PTI)