Chief selector George Bailey hits back at Johnson for ‘uncomfortable remarks’ against David Warner

One of Australia’s greatest openers, David Warner, will say goodbye to Tests following the final match against Pakistan in Sydney next year. Shortly after the 14-man squad announcement for the first Test, starting December 14 in Perth, former Aussie quick Mitchell Johnson lashed out at Warner and Bailey over David’s selection, calling it arrogant and disrespectful. In response to Johnson’s ‘uncomfortable remarks’, Bailey asked if he was doing okay.

Writing for The West Australian, Johnson accused Bailey of favouring Warner into playing his farewell series despite the left-handed batter’s involvement in the Sandpaper Gate episode, which brought a bad name to Australian cricket. In his column, Johnson asked if "Warner warrants a hero’s send-off’ after what all he got engaged into a few years back".

Meanwhile, despite Warner’s heroics with the bat over the years that helped Australia clinch several ICC trophies, including the 2023 World Cup in India, Johnson, in a surprising yet scathing attack on his ex-teammate, stunned the world with his remarks.

In response to Johnson's comments, Bailey said, “I’ve been sent little snippets of it. I hope he’s OK. I’ve got no idea [if he is]. My only observation would be if someone can show me how being distant and unaware of what players are going through and what the plans are with the team and with the coaching staff, how that’s more beneficial, I’d be all ears.”

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Putting fingers on the men’s team national selector Bailey for returning favours because he shares a good bond with a few players, Johnson said, “When then-captain Tim Paine's career was ending over the sexting controversy, chairman of selectors George Bailey said he didn't want to be part of deciding Paine's fate because the pair were close friends. The handling of Warner in recent years, who played with Bailey in all three forms, raises the question of whether Bailey was simply too quickly out of playing and into the job and too close to some of the players.”

Warner likely to feature in all three Tests

Commenting on David Warner’s selection in the 14-man squad, Bailey said despite his below-par show in the Ashes earlier this year, David is the best shot at the top and will feature in the first Test and the remaining two matches. 

“We still think he’s in our best eleven players to win the first Test,” Bailey told reporters on Sunday afternoon. “We think David is the right person for this Test.

“Clearly, Dave would like to get through the series and finish up in Sydney, and we fully respect that.

“We’ve been pretty consistent around the fact that with any player, it’s how they perform as an individual and how that performance actually fits into the function of the team, and that won’t change,” Bailey added.