"Make sure it's based on facts and data rather than personal feelings" - Mark Taylor on Mitchell Johnson lashing out at David Warner & George Bailey
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor has taken issue with the nature of Mitchell Johnson's criticism of David Warner and George Bailey. While Taylor felt that the former pacer was well within his right to lash out at the duo, he pointed out that throwing personal jibes could have been avoided.
For the uninitiated, Johnson was allegedly miffed at a text message from Warner earlier this year and later on blasted the opener in his column for a Western Australian newspaper. The left-arm pacer questioned Warner receiving a grand farewell series, considering his recent Test form and involvement in the 2018 Sandpaper saga.
Johnson also called out the chief selector, George Bailey, for giving preferential treatment to his former teammates.
Speaking on 2GB's World Wide of Sports, Taylor assessed the situation his fellow commentator Mitchell Johnson is in now.
"I think as commentators, and Mitchell Johnson is now a commentator like me, you have got to look at things, analyse things and comment but you've got to try and take the personalities out of it. That's OK but make sure it's based on facts and data rather than personal feelings," said Taylor.
Taylor added:
"But, there's nothing wrong in my opinion as a commentator with someone like Mitchell Johnson making a comment about whether he thinks George Bailey should have done this or should have done that.
"That's probably the only problem out of all of it. I don't have a problem with anyone talking about numbers, facts [and] data but when it gets personal, that's what you don't want, and I think Mitch has already admitted that he made a mistake in that regard."
Warner was included in the 14-member squad for the first of three Tests at home against Pakistan, starting December 14.
However, the 37-year-old has been in dismal form in red-ball cricket since 2021, averaging less than 30 and scoring a lone century in 25 games.
"For the next three Test matches that's going to be the case" - Mark Taylor on David Warner opening the batting
Mark Taylor backed David Warner to open the batting for Australia in all three Tests of the home series against Pakistan. The veteran batter has stated his wish to retire from the longer format after the final Test on his home ground at the SCG.
Taylor admitted that the selectors would have pondered over making a change at the top, considering Warner's indifferent Test form.
"For the next three Test matches that's going to be the case (On Warner opening the batting). I'm sure the selectors would have thought, 'Do we make a change now?' and that would have been the thing they would have tossed up based on the fact that David has not been in great form in red-ball cricket — obviously in white ball cricket he's been terrific," stated Taylor.
Taylor added:
"The last three years have not been very profitable for him but he's been a great player for a long time. They would have tossed up, do they throw a [Cameron] Bancroft or a [Matt] Renshaw or a [Marcus] Harris in now, give him three Test matches rather than give David the send-off that he would have liked and I think a lot of Australian cricketers and Australian supporters would like as well."
Taylor concluded by stating that with Warner's opening partner Usman Khawaja also at the fag end of his career, the selectors will begin looking at Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, and Matt Renshaw as long-term opening prospects.
Despite his recent struggles, Warner boasts an incredible Test record, scoring over 8,400 runs at an average of almost 45, with 25 centuries.