Everyone's entitled to their opinions: Warner to Johnson

Veteran opener David Warner on Friday igred former Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson's scathing attack on him for setting his own retirement date, saying that "everyone's entitled to ir opinions".

In a newspaper column, Johnson h questioned wher Warner h been in strong eugh form to set his own retirement date. Johnson h also opened up old wounds by referencing Warner's role in ball-tampering saga in South Africa.

37-year-old Warner h expressed his desire for a Sydney farewell after third and final Test against Pakistan starting from January 3, 2024. three-match Test series starts in Perth on December 14.

Warner, who has scored 8,487 runs from 109 Tests since making his debut in 2011, refused to be drawn into controversy, saying his former teammate is entitled to his opinions, however scathing.

"It wouldn't be a summer without a heline, would it?" he asked at launch of Fox Cricket's summer cover in Parramatta on Friday, according to cricket.com.au.

"It is what it is. Everyone's entitled to ir own opinions," explosive opening batter said in his first comments after Johnson's scathing attack on him.

"Moving forward, we're looking forward to a nice Test over in west." Since summer of 2020-21, Warner has mand one Test century from 25 matches -- a memorable double-hundred against South Africa in his 100th Test at MCG in 2022.

Australian selectors have stuck to Warner though y will have to determine his replacement beyond Sydney.

Warner said he learned long ago how to deal with such criticisms.

"My parents ingrained that into me. y taught me every day to fight and work hard.

"When you go onto world st and you don't realise what comes with that, it's a lot of media, a lot of criticism but a lot of positive." Australia captain Pat Cummins also said that Test team would be "fiercely protective" of veteran opener in face of external attacks.

"I think we protect each or a lot. We've been through a lot over years, our boys Someone like Davey or Steve (Smith), I've played with m for a dozen years w so we're fiercely protective of each or," Cummins said.

"We've h arguably our most successful year ever. We're going into a really exciting summer.

"re's so many positive things around Australian cricket I think we should be talking about and we're focusing on that (Johnson's column)." PTI PDS PDS ATK ATK