Just days after expressing his willingness to reconsider his retirement, David Warner is once again making headlines. The 37-year-old has been cleared to captain Sydney Thunder in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL). Warner had previously been banned for life in the aftermath of the 2018 sandpaper scandal.

Cricket Australia’s (CA) Conduct Commission has lifted Warner’s ban, following a unanimous decision by a three-member independent review panel.

“The respectful and contrite tone of his (Warner’s) response, as well as its content, impressed the review panel and led it to the unanimous view that he was sincere and genuine in his admission of responsibility for the conduct and in his statement of extreme remorse for his conduct,” the panel said in its decision published Friday.

“Mr Warner’s demeanor and behavior since the imposition of the sanction has been excellent and he appears to have made a significant change, an example of which is that he no longer sleds or tries to provoke the opposing team.

“The review panel is more than satisfied that Mr Warner will not engage in any conduct similar to that which occurred in 2018 which resulted in the sanction and that the sanction has thus had the relevant quality of specific deterrence.”

Cricket Australia did not oppose Warner’s challenge to the ban and has confirmed that he is now eligible to take on leadership roles in all Australian cricket competitions.

“In 2022 we updated the Code of Conduct to ensure there was a fair and rigorous process in place for all players and player support staff to have long-term sanctions reviewed,” Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said.

David Warner, former captain of the Sydney Thunder, was accompanied by Trent Copeland, the Thunder’s general manager, to the hearing.

“There’s been a real change in Dave, his demeanor, the way he carries himself,” Copeland told the panel.

“It’s had a profound impact on him and certain behaviors, if you like, pre-2018 that Dave was referring to, and … the sledge or you know, other things that can come naturally to professional cricket, there’s been a real line in sand that just doesn’t appear anymore with David Warner on a cricket field.”

Warner was cast as the central antagonist in the infamous Sandpaper-gate scandal that took place in Cape Town in 2018. He was found to have conspired with then-captain Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft to illegally tamper with the surface of the cricket ball.

As a result of his actions, Warner was suspended from playing for a year and permanently banned from holding any leadership positions in the sport.

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