Mitchell Johnson slams David Warner for nominating his retirement date; brings up Sandpaper Gate saga

As Australia get set to take on Pakistan in a 3-match Test series at home, it is also anticipated to be David Warner's farewell series. The Sydney Test in January is likely to be Warner's last match in whites.

The southpaw nominating himself for the farewell series didin't go down well Warner's former teammate Mitchell Johnson.

In his column for The Western Australia, Johnson wrote, 'As we prepare for David Warner's farewell series, can somebody please tell me why? Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his own retirement date?'

The former fast bowler also brought up the Sandpaper Gate scandal and added, 'It's been five years and David Warner has still never really owned the ball-tampering scandal. Now the way he is going out is underpinned by more of the same arrogance and disrespect to our country.'

'Does this really warrant a swansong, a last hurrah against Pakistan that was forecast a year in advance as if he was bigger than the game and the Australian cricket team?'Johnson added.

Johnson also took a dig at Warner's poor form over the years and wrote, 'Granted he made his double century against South Africa at the MCG last summer, but they were the only runs he had scored in years. Leading into this year's Ashes series that was the only time he had reached 50 in his previous 17 Test innings.'

Johnson was Warner's team-mate from 2009 to 2015.