Mitchell Johnson has been relieved of his commentary duties by Cricket Australia following the controversy sparked by his explosive column on David Warner ahead of the first Test between Australia and Pakistan in Perth.
Despite Warner’s impressive 164 in the first innings, Johnson persisted in targeting the veteran, asserting that Warner’s performance was nothing extraordinary, merely part of his job to score runs.
During the contest, where Johnson served as a commentator, the Australian cricket governing body decided to terminate his participation in the series.
Australia emerged victorious in the game by 360 runs, taking a 1-0 lead with two more Tests scheduled at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Warner-Johnson saga started when the legendary pacer questioned Warner’s place in the Ashes squad. Candice Warner, David’s wife, retaliated against Mitchell, escalating the ongoing tension. Johnson elevated the dispute by reminding Warner of his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa and how it tarnished Australia’s image.
Warner, responding calmly after his recent century, expressed the need to focus on scoring runs to silence the critics.
