Ricky Ponting warns fans will see a ‘different’ David Warner when he retires after years of wearing the brunt over ‘Sandpapergate’

Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting believes fans will see a ‘different’ David Warner when he retires after the T20 World Cup.

The man affectionately known as ‘Punter’ also believes Warner received the most criticism after ‘Sandpapergate’ in South Africa in 2018.

Following the mess that rocked the sport, Warner – along with then-captain Steve Smith – was banned by Cricket Australia for 12 months, while Cameron Bancroft was banned for nine months.

With Bancroft reportedly taking orders on Warner’s pitch in Cape Town, supporters have not forgiven the batsman for bringing the sport into disrepute.

Some seemingly never will, regardless of Warner’s performance at the crease.

It comes as Warner, 37, finished 53 off just 35 balls in Australia’s rain-affected win over Bangladesh in Antigua in the T20 World Cup on Friday.

Always an imposing figure when facing the new ball, it was Warner’s eighth career half-century in the T20 World Cup and there is no doubt he would still like one last piece of major international silverware before he retires.

Sporting fairy tales aside, Ponting has paid tribute to Warner’s resilience.

“Honestly, he probably took more than anyone else,” he said News Corp.

‘He’s got quite a thick skin. He can tolerate most things very well. But for him to come out and say it [criticism] influenced him as it did, we should never take that for granted.

‘I think with Davey… once he retires and takes the next step in his life in media [commentating on Fox Cricket]you’ll see a completely different side of him.’

Not everyone is on the same page as Ponting when it comes to Warner.

Former captain Michael Clarke pointed out this week that the events in Cape Town effectively cost Bancroft his Test career – and at the time Smith was stripped of the captaincy.

Australia next take on Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup on Sunday from 10.30am AEDT.