"David Warner Doesn't Warrant Hero's Send-Off": Mitchell Johnson

Former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson has ripped into David Warner, Australian team management for the opening batter's inclusion in the Test team for Pakistan series.

As Australia prepare for the Test series against Pakistan, one of the greatest Aussie batters of all time, David Warner, will don the white shirt for the national team one last time. While Warner's form in the longest format hasn't been the best, he was picked for the Test assignment against Pakistan, a fact that hasn't gone down well with former Australia star Mitchell Johnson. In his column, Johnson aimed an unflinching attack at Warner, criticising the fact that the southpaw was given an opportunity to play his farewell series despite his poor form and involvement in the 'sandpaper gate' scandal.

"As we prepare for David Warner's farewell series, can somebody please tell me why?" Johnson wrote in his column for The West Australian. "Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his own retirement date.

"And why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero's send-off?" he added.

Warner wasn't the only one to have been reprimanded in the sandpaper gate saga, the likes of Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft were also penalised by Cricket Australia.

Following the incident Smith and Warner were barred from taking up leadership roles even after their suspension concluded. But, seeing Warner being a big part of the scandal, despite being one of the seniors in the team, Johnson wasn't amused.