Paine says Warner was never shunned by Australia players

During the ball-tampering scandal, media reports suggested that David Warner had been cut out by the remainder of the Aussie squad but Tim Paine, who has assumed Test and interim ODI captaincy from Steve Smith, denied those claims

^{David Warner was never shunned by Australia, says Tim Paine}

Tim Paine has said David Warner was a "respected part" of the Australia team and rejected the notion that the former national vice-captain was ostracised by the rest of the players in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal.

Warner, like Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, received lengthy bans from Cricket Australia after conspiring to alter the condition of the ball during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town in March.

In the aftermath of the match, media reports suggested that Warner had been shunned by the remainder of the Aussie squad but Paine, who has assumed Test and interim ODI captaincy from Smith, denied those claims.

"No he wasn't [ostracised] actually," Paine said.

^{Paine has taken on the Test and ODI captaincy}

"Certainly the week in South Africa was very difficult and everyone said that, but guys in that team get along well and David is a respected member of that team and always has been.

"For as long as I've been around the team he's been really well liked and really well received by his team-mates."

Warner's on-field and off-field attitude were questioned during the episode in South Africa but Paine defended his former team-mate, who will be ineligible for selection for his country until next April.

"Within our team he's someone with that energy and that competitiveness who we love playing with," he said.

"There's a side of David that people don't know which is a really loyal, really caring and a good team man to have around."

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