Ian Chappell Blames Coach And Skipper For David Warner's Antics

Updated - 07 Mar 2018, 10:32 PM

Ian Chappell

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Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell has lashed out at Australia skipper Steven Smith and coach Darren Lehmann for their role in David Warner’s aggressive on-field behaviour.

Chappell’s comments came after Smith, Lehmann and wicketkeeper Tim Paine emphatically defended Warner and the team’s on-field behaviour. Warner has been at the centre of the storm for the spat with Quinton de Kock.

A CCTV footage showed Warner and de Kock involved in an ugly scuffle at tea on day four of the first Test.The incident occurred after two absorbing sessions. Warner was one of the focal points during the day following his animated celebration after the run-out of AB de Villiers.

And as the players left the field, emotions appeared to boil over. The footage showed Warner charging aggressively towards de Kock before being held back by his teammates on the stairwell. Smith then dragged Warner back in the dressing room to bring the situation under control.

And while Warner has been facing the heat from several quarters, the Australian camp has thrown its support firmly behind him. The aggressive batsman has been accused of targetting de Kock’s family during the incident, but Australia has dismissed the accusations.

There were possibilities of Warner getting banned for the second Test. However, the Australia vice-captain has been cleared to play the game after accepting match referee Jeff Crowe’s sanction for the incident. Warner was charged with a Level 2 breach of the ICC’s code of conduct for bringing the game into disrepute. He was also fined 75 percent of his match fee and given three demerit points.

And amidst all this, Chappell feels that a ban would be appropriate, not only for Warner but for his captain and coach.

“A suspension would be appropriate because you need to stamp it out from the top down,” Chappell told Channel Nine. “But Warner gets the suspension, and while he’s responsible for his own actions and words, he’s being allowed to do it by people above him.

“I’d like to see those above him suspended for sanctioning it. If you start taking strong action like that then you’ll get some sanity. It’s always the same – the players pay the penalty for the stupidity of those above. Warner is being encouraged to be the attack dog.

Warner (L) has been fully backed by his team (Credits: Getty)

“The laws of the game state the captain is responsible for the on-field actions of his players, so if Steve Smith is not stepping in he’s just as culpable.”

Chappell said that administrators needed to act now to prevent the onset of violence on the field.

“I’ve been saying for 15 years that there’ll be fisticuffs at some point, and it must have come close in that stairwell. It’s pretty obvious to me that the more you allow to be said on the field, the higher the chance that something personal will be said, and if it gets personal, you’ve got a situation on your hands.

“How stupid is it, when I read before the Test that the Australians might bait Kagiso Rabada because he’s close to being suspended? Surely if you’re the officials and you see that, you call the coach and captain in the day before the game and explain it won’t be tolerated, and the first bloke who puts a foot out of line will be suspended.

“I don’t want it to sound like nothing was said on the field when I played, because things were said. But it wasn’t premeditated. It wasn’t discussed in team meetings beforehand. Sometimes in the heat of the moment things were said.

“I wouldn’t be trying to stop gamesmanship, because that’s an important part of the game of cricket, and it’s responsible for a lot of the humour in the game. But the inane chatter, abuse and comments trying to unsettle players, you don’t need it. Are you saying you don’t have enough faith in your bowlers to take 20 wickets?,” said the former player.