'I think it's harsh' - David Warner opens up about Cricket Australia's leadership ban review

Australian opener David Warner expressed his frustration on Monday about how long it took Cricket Australia to allow him to apply to have his lifetime leadership ban reviewed, calling the process traumatic and disappointing.

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The former Test vice-captain was banned from any leadership role in Australia following his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal during Cape Town Test in 2018. But under an amendment to CA's code of conduct confirmed on Monday, he will now be able to request a review of the sanction, which was not previously not permitted.

Speaking at a promotion event for Kayo Sports on Monday, Warner vented his frustration on the ten-month-long process.

"I'm not a criminal. You should get a right of an appeal at some stage. I understand that they put a ban in place but banning someone for life, I think it's a bit harsh,” Warner was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

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"Where it's been disappointing, it's taken this long to get to where it has. It was brought up in I think February this year. So it's been drawn out. It's traumatic for me and my family and everyone else that was involved in it. We haven't needed to go back into that detail. We don't need to relive what happened,” he added.

We could have done this about nine months ago : David Warner

Warner further added that the matter could have been solved when it was brought up first in February and revealed how CA rushed into it after former ODI captain Aaron Finch announced his retirement in October. Fast bowler Pat Cummins was appointed as the leader of the Australian ODI side with the delay in Warner’s ban review.

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"It's frustrating because we could have done this about nine months ago when it was first brought up. It's unfortunate that obviously Finchy retired and then they sort of fast-tracked it in their own way. But it's a tad disappointing that when you make a decision in 2018, it's in four days, and then this takes nine months,” he added.

"So that's the hardest thing. It actually makes me look like I'm campaigning, which I'm totally not. So from my perspective, that's where it's been disappointing," Warner concluded.