David Warner is ready to make a comeback as the captain of his BBL side, Sydney Thunder. This happened after Cricket Australia withdrew his lifelong ban imposed due to his involvement in the infamous Sandpaper scandal in 2018. Warner will replace the spin-bowling all-rounder Chris Green as the captain after he got his necessary green signal after 13 years. Earlier, Warner had announced his retirement from international cricket. Thus, unlike his occasional appearances in the previous season, this year he will be fully available for the league. David Warner (c)He will captain Sydney Thunder in the upcoming BBL season https://t.co/oXZuJPKyMN pic.twitter.com/eqipG7tt8i — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 6, 2024 Sandpapergate Scandal, 2018 In 2018, Warner was involved in the Sandpaper scandal known as “Sandpaper Gate” during the third test against South Africa at Cape Town. Cameron Bancroft, who actively participated in the scandal, and Steve Smith, under whose leadership it happened, were the two names involved. Warner, who was the vice-captain of the Australian team at the time, was alleged to be the main instigator behind the scandal. As a result, he received a one-year suspension from playing cricket and a lifetime ban from leadership. Last month, his ban was overturned after he had appealed having presented reviews from the coach Andrew McDonald, Test captain Pat Cummins, and IPL teammate Kane Williamson. The panel unanimously found Warner to have fulfilled all the criteria required for the ban to be lifted. The panel noted Warner’s "respectful and contrite tone" and acknowledged his “genuine remorse” for his actions Warner is excited to captain Sydney Thunders Warner is excited to get back the "C" tag right beside his name after so many years. Warner said in a statement as reported by Cricket.com.au, "Captaining the Thunder again this season means a lot to me. I’m looking forward to leading from the front and sharing my experience with the young talent coming through... We have an incredible group of young players like Ollie Davies, Jason Sangha, and Sam Konstas. "They’re fearless and have so much potential. My goal is to guide them, help them learn the game, and ultimately give them the tools to thrive both in the BBL and beyond." Sydney Thunder squad: David Warner (c), Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings, Oliver Davies, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Sherfane Rutherford, William Salzmann, Daniel Sams, Jason Sangha, Tanveer Sangha