Cricket: Why I attacked Root - Warner

The man the fans love to hate? David Warner. Photo / file

David Warner has revealed he attacked Joe Root in a Birmingham nightclub before the last Ashes series in England because he felt he was insulting Muslims.

Speaking in detail for the first time about the notorious incident in 2013, Warner, who is attempting to go tee-total, also said he is on a final warning for his on-field behaviour from the International Cricket Council.

Warner was banned for two matches for his assault on Root in the Walkabout Bar in Birmingham city centre, which saw him throw a punch at the England batsman after a row over Root using the wig as a fake beard.

Telegraph Sport reported at the time that Warner - who had spent the night drinking 'Jäger-bomb' cocktails and vodka with Red Bull - felt Root was poking fun at the South African batsman Hasim Amla.

England vehemently denied that was Root's intention at the time, but Warner went public with his suspicions today in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.

"A mate of mine was actually wearing [the wig] on top of his head like a Malinga wig, that's what it was. He was wearing it on his head and (Root) decided to come in and take it off my mate's head and start acting the way he did," Warner said.

"When people are drunk that's what they do but I thought it was a bit inappropriate the way he went about that stuff so I went over and tried to take it off him. I just think in today's society you shouldn't be fooling around with that kind of stuff.

"And he probably didn't mean anything by it. I probably let my aggression and alcohol take over there and probably made an excuse for me to go over there and actually take it off him."

Warner was dragged away from his teammates and left the club.

"I texted Joe the next morning and everything was fine," he added. "I think the way it's been blown up I should have asked him to get in the ring for a re-match or something."

Warner has established a reputation as Australia's chief tormentor in the field, having had run-ins with several opponents including England's Matt Prior and India's Rohit Sharma, but it appears the ICC's patience with his behaviour is wearing thin.

"I'm on my last warning from the ICC," he said. "These rules are being clamped down now. They're really honing in on players celebrating wickets and obviously a bit of banter on the field. If you walk towards a player the umpires are going to fine you, you've got to be smart with what you do.

"I feel that sometimes it could be taking away from the viewers, that the viewers love that. You know that when you get out there the crowd gets into it, they enjoy that stuff.

"There wasn't many people in the West Indies [for Australia's most recent Test series] but every time somebody bowled a bouncer they just loved it, they cheered. I think at the moment they're taking that away from the game a little bit."

Perhaps in an effort to ensure he avoids any more negative headlines, Warner revealed that is on a self-imposed alcohol ban - and apparently celebrated Australia's series win in West Indies with green tea.

"We always talk about celebrating our wins and stuff and this is something that I've never ever done in my life, to not do something that I like to do socially, and that's have a drink," he said.

"But it's more of a challenge to myself to say I can do it. It's nothing else. I haven't been told to, I don't want to prove a point, I just want to tell myself that I can be disciplined."