He questioned David Warner’s place in the Test team, criticizing the glorification of Warner despite his involvement in the 2018 ball-tampering incident, commonly referred to as “the sandpaper gate.”

A Cricket Australia spokesperson mentioned, “Mitchell is one of Australia’s most celebrated bowlers, but we felt on this occasion it was in everyone’s best interests that he was not the guest speaker at the CA functions.” The void left by Johnson was reportedly filled by former Australian batsman Michael Hussey.

Despite initial rumors suggesting Johnson’s replacement in the Triple M radio commentary, he eventually contributed to their commentary team. In a subsequent podcast, “The Mitchell Johnson Show,” Johnson expressed regret over certain parts of his column, acknowledging the distasteful nature of references like “Bunnings” and “sandpaper.” He highlighted his intention to evaluate situations beyond statistics and explained his motivation for raising concerns about honoring someone involved in a past controversy.

In his most recent column, Johnson reaffirmed his stance from a prior article, critiquing Warner’s recent performance and advocating for the inclusion of new players in the Australian team during what he termed a softer cricketing summer. He emphasized the missed opportunity to groom new talent, anticipating challenges against India and England in future Test series.