Door not closed on Warner

The door remains open for David Warner to return to Australia’s national team despite the renewed doubts over his reintegration into the side after the storm created by Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, his fellow perpetrators in the balltampering affair.

The Warner camp has maintained its silence since the interviews given by Smith and Bancroft dragged the events of Cape Town nine months ago back into the spotlight.

But sources close to the team said Warner still has the support of coach and selector Justin Langer and test captain Tim Paine, who both have roles to play in deciding whether any of the banned trio can return to the fold.

And the captain of Australia’s limited-overs teams Aaron Finch said he had no problems with Smith and Warner returning.

‘‘From my point of view they’ll be welcomed back with open arms,’’ Finch said.

‘‘Whatever’s happened has happened.

‘‘They’ve been working hard off the field to meet every criteria and go above and beyond what’s asked of them to come back and play international cricket again.’’

The latest developments come as former coach Darren Lehmann opened up on the personal toll the ball-tampering affair has had on him, revealing he could not leave home for six weeks after the scandal.

Lehmann addressed the issue at the Melbourne Cricket Club’s Women in Cricket Test Breakfast on Tuesday, where he also apologised to guests.

Though the former coach, who stepped down in March, had already apologised publicly, those in attendance described it as a ‘‘powerful moment’’.

While former greats have raised concerns over Warner’s international future, the fact remains he is a world-class opener in a team lacking proven batsmen on the world stage.

Cricket Australia chief Kevin Roberts spoke to Warner before Christmas about his path back to the side once he completes his suspension in late March.

It’s understood part of Warner’s reintegration plan includes timelines on when he will be reintroduced to his former teammates, selection criteria and his media schedule.

The leadership team, which includes Langer and Paine, will be involved in deciding whether the banned trio are recalled when available.

The reintegration process for Warner is already in motion, with Langer overseeing a net session the opener had with Australia’s senior quicks at the SCG last month.

Warner will not be in Sydney next week when the series reaches its climax as he will be in Bangladesh for that country’s Twenty20 league.

While Bancroft and Smith have both been criticised for their recent interviews, Warner has stayed in the background, having not spoken publicly since a Sydney grade game in November.

An interview Smith conducted with mental health advocate Gus Worland is set to air tomorrow night in which the pair discuss the former captain’s voluntary work with the Gotcha4life charity.

It’s understood Bancroft’s comments that he was pushed into ball tampering by Warner instead of taking personal responsibility have not been well received at Cricket Australia.

Former batsman Michael Slater, who played 74 tests during the glory era under Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh, believed there was a concerted effort to ‘‘bury’’ Warner.

‘‘There is a strategy behind Steve Smith and Bancroft, and Dave Warner’s off the radar at the moment,’’ Slater said.

‘‘In terms of a respectful comment on Dave Warner, there’s been none of that.

‘‘So to me, it is untenable, they’ve buried him very quickly.’’