Australia opener David Warner has taken the blame for his side's group stage exit from the recently-concluded World T20, saying it was the side's middle order batsmen who let the team down in the prestigious tournament.
Australia were knocked out of the T20 format's pinnacle tournament after suffering a six-wicket defeat at the hand of hosts India despite a thunderous start given by openers Aaron Finch (43) and Usman Khwaja (26) in the group stage match.
Warner had averaged just 9.5 in the four matches which he played in the middle order during Australia's unsuccessful World T20 campaign.
Echoing his skipper Steve Smith's comments on their World T20 loss, Warner insisted that Australia's top order performed brilliantly, adding it was middle order that didn't fire.
"I spoke to Smudge (Captain Steve Smith) about it, I agreed with him to do it, I put my hand up, and I've done it in the past. At the end of the day our top order did go well. It was our middle order that didn't fire. It is always tough when you look back and say 'in hindsight' but we just didn't perform, as simple as that," Warner was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
The Australian selectors and Smith had initially gone with the opening combination of Khawaja and Warner for the first two Tests before Finch took the spot.
Former players, including legend Shane Watson, believes that the opening partnership between Finch and Warner should not have been broken up, adding that it had upset the balance of the team.
Warner has scored a total of 386 runs in the seven matches he played at the opening spot in the ongoing Indian Premier League to become the competition's leading run-scorer.
