Spin king Shane Warne has launched a stinging verbal attack on his former captain Steve Waugh, labelling him "the most selfish cricketer I've played with".
Speaking on Channel Ten's TV show I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, in the episode that will air on Tuesday night, Warne highlighted his own axing on the 1999 tour of the West Indies as the main reason for his disdain for Waugh.
After three Tests of the four-match series, Warne had taken just two wickets at an average of 134 while tweaking counterpart Stuart MacGill snared seven at 31.43.
The Windies held a 2-1 lead at that stage of the series and Warne was replaced by Colin Miller for the final match.
Despite conceding that Waugh was justified in dropping him, as Australia won the fourth Test by 176 runs to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy, Warne said he felt like a scapegoat and has never forgiven Waugh for that.
"There's a lot of reasons I don't like Steve Waugh ... [one of them] because he's the most selfish cricketer I've played with," Warne said.
"One thing that really annoyed me about him was the one Test I got dropped, in the West Indies [in 1999], we had to win the last Test match to [retain] the [Frank Worrell] Trophy. At that stage, captain [Waugh], vice-captain [me], coach [Geoff Marsh] used to pick the team.
"We went to selection. I hadn't bowled well [and] we had lost - Brian Lara batted unreal - but I felt like I was being the scapegoat, that because I didn't bowl well it was my fault.
"We got to the selection table and said 'What's everyone's thoughts?'. Steve Waugh said [to me] 'You're not playing'. I went 'What? Hang on. What do you think the team should be? Blah blah blah', and Steve Waugh said 'Nup, I'm the captain of this side ... you're not playing'.
"I was really disappointed with that after [almost] 10 years. I'd just had a shoulder operation. I thought the situation, of having to win a Test match, would've brought the best out in me too.
"I don't like Steve Waugh for a lot of other reasons, but that was the reason I thought [there was no way that relationship would recover]."
Of that fateful decision, Waugh wrote in his book The Meaning Of Luck that it shaped and defined him.
"I lost a great friend but gained fortitude from the experience and learnt categorically that knowing what is right and acting on it are two different things," Waugh wrote.
"One day, I hope Shane comes to terms with the fact it wasn't about me not trusting his immense skill and innate love for the big occasion, but rather a common-sense decision based on facts and the key ingredients every leader must trust and rely on 'gut instinct'."
It would seem Warne has still not come terms with the decision and doesn't look like he will any time soon.
