Mark Taylor Reckons Shane Warne Has Still Not Forgiven Steve Waugh For Dropping Him In The 1999 Test Against West Indies

Mark Taylor, former Australian captain, has weighed in on the recent war of words between two of Australia’s legendary cricketers in Shane Warne and Steve Waugh.

It’s an open secret that Shane Warne and Steve Waugh don’t see each other eye-to-eye outside the cricket field and a recent war of words which started with Shane Warne calling Steve Waugh ‘selfish’ and the latter replying back by saying that the leg-spinners’ comments are a ‘reflection of himself’ testified that to the hilt.

“They’re not best mates, there’s no doubt about that. But when they played together … they were fine,” Taylor said during Channel Nine’s Sports show.

Mark Taylor recalled the 1999 Test series against the West Indies where Steve Waugh decided to pick Stuart MacGill ahead of Shane Warne for the fourth and final Test of the series. Taylor reckoned that Waugh’s decision irked Shane Warne and he is yet to forgive Steve Waugh for that.

“Steve had to make a decision for the last Test against the West Indies in 1999 between his two leg spinners … Warnie was coming back from a shoulder injury and not bowling at his best. For the final Test match, Steve went with MacGill and left Warne out, and that certainly irked Shane Warne at the time, and I don’t think he’s ever forgiven him,” Mark Taylor said.

Mark Taylor weighs in on the Warnie v Waugh stoush. ?

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Also Read: Shane Warne Lambastes The ‘Verbal Diarrhea’ Around The Baggy Green

Did Mark Taylor agreed with Steve Waugh’s decision of dropping Shane Warne at the time?

When asked if he agreed with Steve Waugh’s decision at the time, the former Australian captain nodded in disapproval, stating that he would have always gone with his premier spinner in Warne despite him not bowling at his best during that series.

“At the time, no. I didn’t think it was (the correct decision),” he said. “If you had to make a decision between the two leggies, which I think Australia had to do at that stage because Lara was playing so well, I’d have gone for the guy who’s been great for so long, even though he wasn’t at his best,” he added.

“Must-win game, I would’ve gone with Shane Warne,” Mark Taylor signed off.

Australia, however, went on to win the final Test, retaining the Frank Worrell Trophy in the process.

Also Read: Steve Waugh Reacts To Shane Warne’s ‘Selfish’ Tweet