Known for speaking his mind on cricketing matters, spin legend Shane Warne [ Images ] gave the Australian team a pep talk after the visitors' comprehensive defeat to India [ Images ] in the first cricket Test in Chennai on Tuesday.
Warne is not new when it comes to offering ideas and had, in a two-part manifesto last month, launched an attack on the state of Australian cricket, calling several CA officials "muppets", including high-performance chief Pat Howard and selection boss John Inverarity.
After watching the Australian team crash to an eight-wicket loss at the M A Chidambaram Stadium, Warne, commentating on the series, entered the field to have an impromptu mid-ground chat with the players.
Eight members from the Australian team management, including skipper Michael Clarke [ Images ], who regards Warne as one of his cricketing mentors, coach Mickey Arthur and his assistant Steve Rixon were seen listening attentively to the former leg-spinner.
Also in attendance, though for a brief while, were tweakers Nathan Lyon and Xavier Doherty.
Warne, however, declined to divulge details of his meeting with the players.
At the post-match press conference, Clarke joked about Warne's presence.
"Warnie is in town, I'll see if he's available," Clarke said.
Photograph: Hamish Blair/Getty Images
this
Users
Comment
article