David Warner‘s inclusion within the Australia group for the Test sequence in opposition to Pakistan has turn out to be a topic of great debate, with strategies being made that the opening batter did not should be included within the group. Former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson, in his column, launched a pointy assault at Warner and the Australian selectors after he was added to the Test roster regardless of poor type. Johnson’s criticism of Warner hasn’t been welcomed by many, with Australia batter Usman Khawaja calling the feedback by the previous Aussie star “harsh”.

“Why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero’s send-off?”, Johnson wrote in his column for the West Australian.

Khawaja, nevertheless, stated that each David Warner and Steve Smith — two of the three gamers on the middle of the ball-tampering scandal — are heroes in his eyes.

“Davey Warner and Steve Smith are heroes in my mind,” Khawaja advised reporters. “They missed a year of cricket through dark times in Australian cricket but they have paid their dues.

“No one is ideal. Mitchell Johnson is not good. I’m not good. Steve Smith just isn’t good. David Warner is not good.

“What they have done for the game and to grow the game far outweighs anything else they have done.

“So for [Johnson] to suggest that Dave Warner or anybody else concerned in [the] Sandpaper [incident] just isn’t a hero, I strongly disagree with as a result of I consider they’ve paid their dues.”

“I’m undecided you’ll be able to argue with that. [The criticism] is harsh,” Khawaja said.

It isn’t a secret that Warner’s form with the bat in Test cricket hasn’t been the best over the last 2-3 years. Although Australia coach Andrew McDonald did counsel that Marnus Labuschagne was an possibility to switch Warner on the high.

“Have you requested Marnus this? I believe he would offer you a extremely clear, ‘hell no’,” Khawaja said on McDonald’s suggestion. “Marnus has obtained opening-itis. I’m fairly certain Davey Warner damage his arm and despatched Alex Carey out to open. I believe that could be a lengthy shot.”