Exiled batsman David Warner says he is better for his mistakes and wants Ashes glory David Warner wants to win back respect. DAVID Warner says he must regain the respect of teammates and the Australian public following the off-field calamities that taught him never to take his baggy-green for granted. With the first Ashes Test just 11 days away, Warner opened up to The Sunday Mail about the turbulence of the past six months. He tells of his foibles, his motivations, his determination to bury the Poms, why his dream of captaining Australia may have faded ... and, amid the maelstrom, somehow finding love. The combative opener became the most infamous man in Australian cricket in June when he followed up his journalistic Twitter war with a bar-room bust-up with English rival Joe Root. But Warner says the dual ructions forced him to confront his cricketing mortality. Accepting he could lose it all, the Test opener is batting like there is no tomorrow, blasting four centuries in the past 24 days _ including 104 from 87 balls against Victoria on Thursday. Now the 27-year-old has set his sights on dismantling England, convinced that leading Australia to Ashes glory can rebuild public faith and cleanse the wounds of his recent sins. "I want people to know the real me," he says. When I make the mistakes I have, I get upset because that's not how my parents brought me up. WARNER says his recent torrent of runs for NSW is evidence he craves success as much as any Australian teammate. He can't change the past, but his altercation with Root - and subsequent dumping from the Champions Trophy - was the ultimate wake-up call. "Now I realise I can't take anything for granted," he said. A lot of things went on in England and people don't know the full story. But the bottom line is I stuffed up. I don't think you should regret anything you do in life, because then you don't come out the other side the way you are. But I've learned a lesson from that. I do read papers. I have heard people say things about me. I am better for my mistakes. Now it is about coming back to Australia and winning games for Australia. If selected in the first Ashes Test, I'll take my form into that and score as many runs as I can for the team. I have to work as hard as I can to get the respect back from not just the public, but my teammates and my family. I let all those people down. Now it is about shutting up, putting my backside down, staying squeaky clean and scoring runs. David Warner has been in blistering early-season form. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images WARNER, the kid reared in housing commission at Matraville in Sydney's east, believes detractors mistake his larrikin nature for overt arrogance. "I do feel misunderstood," he said. The way I carry myself, people perceive me a certain way, maybe a bit up myself. Look, I am different. When people get to know me, I am not what the public might think. I'm probably a teddy bear at heart. I tend to put on a brave face to everyone else. My teammates will say I'm a character in the change-rooms but when it comes to my family and friends, I'm very generous and they are the people who matter the most to me. I'm not too sure how the public would see me or judge me. I can't talk on their behalf, but with the misdemeanours in England, it takes probably two years to change your perception with the public. You have to stay switched on 24-7. If you slip up once it can tarnish you for life. Warner is determined not to change his straight-shooting style. One thing ... I'm honest. You can't lie to someone," he said. You have to have the trust of your teammates, your family, your friends. I don't bullshit people. I feel I am honest and that's why I sometimes get myself into trouble. I think I'm too honest. I say things people love to hear and sometimes you just can't say those things in a public-relations sense. I have to bite my tongue sometimes. When I read little snippets in the media, I do like to bite and give it back. That's my nature. That's the character I am. But let me say this ... I am never going to live that down. I am not going to let people dictate who I am on or off the field. I am who I am. WARNER believes he would do a good job succeeding Michael Clarke as Test captain, but, like Shane Warne, doubts he will ever get the chance. To be brutally honest, I don't think it will happen. Cricket Australia won't look towards me," he said. It (captaining Australia) is always in the back of my mind. It's like politics, any politician wants to be Prime Minister. I do have an ambition to captain Australia. Will it happen? It would be nice. I have to let my bat do the talking. CA have identified certain people, there are great leaders around the country. There's guys like Steve Smith, Moises Henriques, George Bailey is very articulate and smart. Those guys have done great jobs for their state. If it doesn't happen for me, I will play as many games for Australia and just give my best to the team. THE Test opener says he holds no grudges towards his English counterpart. "I haven't really spoken to him, but I laugh at it now," he says of their stoush. There's no issue with me. It's disappointing that it got out into the media, I don't know if the English leaked it, but that's in the past and I wish Joe Root all the best for the Ashes. I never wanted to let anyone down with that but it happened, it was silly, but I'm only human. Now I'm back scoring runs and that's the main thing. IN the past year, Warner has stripped eight kilos. He now rises at 5am and has been training three times a day. It is a work ethic shaped by his new girlfriend of four months, ironwoman Candice Falzon. I've had a strict regime of training, I've been up early and now having a girlfriend who is an ironwoman helps. She keeps me going," Warner said. I've learned the discipline side of things from Candice. Her hours have got me into a routine and that's been happening for the last three or four months. I feel fresher and healthier. Having a partner by your side who is also very active, it keeps you motivated. People talk about successful relationships ... when two people have the same goals you do make an effort to make it work. It's been working for me. WARNER expressed surprise at claims in Ricky Ponting's book that Clarke didn't always buy into the team culture. I have played alongside both of them in the same changeroom. The way Ricky, Michael and Mike Hussey worked on their games, no-one matched their work ethic," he said. The way they led, we all aspired to be like them. Never once did I see any disagreements between Ricky or Michael. I was actually shocked to hear and see the comments from Ricky. I can say now Michael as a leader is outstanding. I can't fault Michael at all. He is a team player. Any kid wanting to play Test cricket for Australia, watch Michael Clarke. No-one works harder to succeed for his country. Michael Clarke and David Warner in the field during the Sheffield Shield. WARNER scoffs at suggestions England comprehensively outplayed Australia in their recent 3-0 series win. "It was closer than that ... if we bat and bowl well in Australia, we will be too good for them," he said. I want to win more Test matches for Australia. I remember as a kid seeing the great decade where we won 16 Tests in a row, winning a series in India, winning Ashes home and away, you always want to be a part of those big moments. As a kid I dreamed of playing an Ashes at home, I will be doing everything I can to win that urn. I want to tick that box.