A shattered David Warner will give an insight into his mind on Saturday when the alleged ball-tampering mastermind addresses the saga at a media conference.
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Warner was sacked as Australia vice-captain, slapped with a 12-month ban and shamed by his employers for allegedly corrupting Cameron Bancroft in Cape Town during the third Test.
The 31-year-old is strongly considering the merits of challenging the sanctions handed down by Cricket Australia, a decision he can mull over until Wednesday's deadline.
The other extreme would be for Warner to walk away from international cricket altogether.
It would be a drastic decision for the aggressive opener to become a Twenty20 gun for hire but there's no doubt he feels betrayed by CA and some teammates.
Warner has scheduled a news conference for 11am AEDT on Saturday at the SCG, marking the first time he will take media questions since the third Test.
CA accused Warner of developing a plan to illegally scuff the ball with sandpaper at Newlands, instructing Bancroft to do it then demonstrating to the most inexperienced member of the team how to cheat.
Warner is sleep-deprived, stressed and struggling - much like sacked skipper Steve Smith and outgoing coach Darren Lehmann.
As opposed to Smith, there has been scant sympathy for Warner from the international cricket community.
Some former England players have delighted in his downfall, while South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis noted it will be "interesting" to hear Warner's thoughts.
"This series has been fiery and a lot of the time he has been in the middle of it," du Plessis said, having sent Smith a text message expressing support.
A contrite Bancroft and broken Smith each attended media conferences shortly after landing in Australia on Thursday.
Warner made a brief statement after his late-night flight before leaving Sydney airport with his wife Candice and two daughters.
"At the moment, my priority is to get these kids in bed and rest up and let my mind be clear so I can think and talk to you in a couple of days," Warner told reporters.
Warner earlier released a statement via social media, accepting responsibility and apologising for his part in the affair.
"I understand the distress this has caused the sport and its fans," he wrote.
"Its (sic) a stain on the game that we all love and I have loved since I was a boy."
CA has banned Warner, who upset the board with his forthright approach in last year's pay dispute, from entering a position of leadership again.
Warner travelled back to Sydney separately from Smith. He infuriated teammates in Cape Town last Monday, sipping champagne on the day others were grilled by CA's head of integrity, Iain Roy.
Warner will no doubt be asked if there's been previous tampering by the team or if other members knew of last week's plot.
"I thought so, yes," du Plessis said in Johannesburg when asked if he suspected Australia were tampering with the ball at other points in the series.
Bancroft and Smith each refused to push any blame on Warner.
Australian Associated Press
