SYDNEY: Australian spin legend Shane Warne has attacked former captain Steve Waugh for forcing all players in his team to wear the iconic Australian ‘baggy green’ Test cap at the start of the opposition innings.
According to News.com.au, Warne’s criticism came just three days after he ironically presented Australia’s latest Test debutant James Faulkner with his baggy green cap on the first morning of the last and fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
The report further said that the discussion came into the fore when Australian captain Michael Clarke and fast bowler Peter Siddle wore their white floppy hats at the beginning of the third day.
Venting his criticism of Waugh on Twitter for his love for the baggy green, Warne ridiculed Waugh’s stance and labelled it ‘silly’, saying that even though he told Waugh that he was more comfortable wearing the white floppy cap, Waugh adamantly refused and forced him and every other player to wear the baggy green during the first hour.
According to Warne, a player does not need to wear the baggy green be proud to play for Australia, adding that he used to sulk at first slip for the first hour while wearing the baggy green cap.
The former world wicket record holder also said that even when former Australian tennis player Patrick Rafter reached the finals at the Wimbledon once, Waugh wanted his men to wear the green baggy caps to the stadium to watch Rafter play, adding that few players including Justin Langer followed Waugh’s order.
However, Warne was widely condemned on Twitter for his comments, with a tweet calling his comments as ‘lacking class’, and saying that sometimes a player has to follow the captain’s orders.
