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[Saba Sports News] Former Australian cricketer Mitchell Johnson was surprised by an invitation to the 2024 Australian Cricket Awards, coming just a week after Cricket Australia (CA) had cancelled two of his speaking engagements. Johnson shared his bewilderment on Instagram, posting a screenshot of the invitation and questioning CA’s decision, juxtaposing it with lyrics from Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Take the Power Back’.
This unexpected turn of events follows CA’s decision to drop Johnson from speaking roles during the first Test in Perth. This action was taken in response to Johnson’s controversial column, which criticized David Warner for seeking a “hero send-off” and questioned George Bailey’s impartiality in Warner’s future decision-making.
Although Johnson had been silent since his removal from the speaking engagements, he recently expressed his astonishment at the sudden reversal. The controversy primarily arose from his article in the West Australian, where he discussed sensitive topics, including the Sandpapergate scandal. Johnson admitted that his motivations for the article were partly personal, spurred by previous interactions with Warner and Bailey.
Despite the controversy, Johnson continues his involvement in cricket commentary with Triple M. On his Mitchell Johnson Cricket Show podcast, he clarified that his critique was not initially personal until certain developments prompted him to write the column.
David Warner, the subject of Johnson’s criticism, remained unfazed. He responded to the critique by delivering a stellar performance in the opening Test against Pakistan, scoring 164, effectively dismissing the controversy and asserting that Johnson is entitled to his opinions.