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 following the T20 World Cup.

The man affectionately known as 'Punter' is also adamant Warner copped the most criticism following 'Sandpapergate' in South Africa back in 2018.

Following the ball-tampering bombshell which rocked the sport, Warner - along with then captain Steve Smith - was banned for 12 months by Cricket Australia, while Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months.

Given Bancroft was said to be following on-field orders from Warner in Cape Town, supporters haven't forgiven the batsman for bringing the sport into disrepute.

Some seemingly never will, no matter Warner's achievements at the crease.

It comes as Warner, 37, finished 53 not out off just 35 balls in Australia's rain-affected win over Bangladesh in Antigua at the T20 World Cup on Friday.

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

Sporting fairytales aside, Ponting has paid tribute to Warner's resilience. 

'To be honest he has probably copped more than anybody else,' he told News Corp.

'He's got reasonably thick skin. He can take most things really well. But for him to come out and say it [criticism] has affected him the way that it has, we should never take that stuff for granted.

'I think with Davey....once he's retired and he makes that next step of life into the media [commentating on Fox Cricket], you will see a totally different side to him.'

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

Former captain Michael Clarke this week pointed out that 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 at the T20 World Cup on Sunday from 10.30am AEDT.