Former Australian captain Steve Waugh has hailed Shane Warne as the "ultimate wicket-taking machine" and said only a handful of batsmen, which includes Sachin Tendulkar, have managed to come out on level terms or better than him in contests with the ace leg spinner.

Writing for Daily Telegraph, Waugh named in no particular order, Hansie Cronje, Tendulkar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Salim Malik, Brian Lara and Graham Gooch as a handful of players who could say they have come out on level terms or better than him.

All praise for his former teammate, Waugh said Warne, who surpassed Muttiah Muralitharan as the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket on Friday, never got tired of working on improving his genius.

"It's not unusual for Warney to get a tape of the day's play and watch every ball he's bowled in the quest for improvement. Shane never allows a batsman to feel settled, changing field settings, engaging in chat with the captain or keeper, going around the wicket to change the angle and he always delivers the batsman an assortment of body language and banter to keep him guessing."

Waugh said mental toughness "rounds off the ultimate wicket-taking machine and it is here that his tenacity to play with injuries and to put aside distractions has led to very few form slumps and lean periods".

Recalling Warne's debut, he said "I could not believe my ears, that unmistakable fizzing sound of a ball rotating through the air with enormous revolutions. The kid conjuring up the magic resembled a mini John Daly but you could tell he had a special gift and was destined for greatness.

"Fast forward a decade later from that under-25 tour to Zimbabwe and his destiny has been fulfilled as the greatest wicket-taker in Test match history.

"He both loves and loathes the attention, needs it and despises it, but above all is motivated by it. Warney is in some ways a contradiction, full of confidence, always exuding presence, aura and optimistic body language but still needing positive reinforcement by the people around him he respects."