"Don't let the world get in on this"- AB de Villiers wants Mitchell Johnson and David Warner to sort out their differences in private
Former South African legendary cricketer AB de Villiers opined on the recent controversial feud between former Australia teammates Mitchell Johnson and David Warner.
Johnson wrote an explosive article for the West Australian, questioning David Warner getting a farewell Test. The former cricketer questioned the veteran opener for his role in the Sandpapergate scandal and felt that the southpaw didn't deserve a farewell game.
While David Warner hasn't made any comment in public, Mitchell Johnson further opened up on The Mitchell Johnson Show about how the opener sent him a text that was deemed derogatory by the former. This was after Johnson questioned Warner's wife Candice's comments defending her husband's Test spot.
Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, here's what AB de Villiers had to say about the whole saga:
"I just don't like this public conversation between the two of them. Just pick up the phone and sort it out. Ask the guy let's go out for a cold drink and sort the issues out. I feel there are some scars from the dressing room but don't let the world get in on this."
AB de Villiers further added:
"They have played a lot of cricket together and have shared the dressing room a lot. So maybe that's where it started. Maybe Mitchell Johnson felt that 'You're a part of a World Cup winning squad and now this send-off. You're getting away with a lot that needs to be talked about.' I feel there's a lot still left to come out."
AB de Villiers on his bond with David Warner
AB de Villiers has played a lot of cricket against David Warner and also shared the dressing room with him while playing for the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. While De Villiers claimed that Warner was great to get along off the field, he also said that there were times when the latter would lose a bit of his cool.
On this, De Villiers stated:
"I have played many cricket games with this guy (Warner) and on the field he can be brutal, but off the field, he is a gentle giant. He is a nice guy. Something switches on the field just like Dale Steyn. I have played with Davey at Delhi Daredevils and maybe there is a bit of short fuse sometimes. Maybe his and Mitch's short fuse collided."
Only time will tell whether this cold war between Johnson and Warner will reach a conclusion soon or will it rumble on for some time.