Australia batting legend Mark Waugh has been replaced by former speedster Mitchell Johnson in the commentary panel for the remaining two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
Waugh’s stint was bit of a divisive as he engaged in heated banters with his colleagues, especially Ravi Shastri and Dinesh Karthik.
It is pertinent to mention here that the BCCI had roped in Waugh only for the two Test matches since the beginning. He himself was a replacement for former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who was dropped from the commentary panel after a video of his altercation with girlfriend Jade Yarbrough went viral on social media.
Coming to the banter between Waugh and Karthik, it once took an ugly turn after the former peppered the latter with questions about disagreements the pair had over field placements that Australia had for Cheteshwar Pujara in the second Test in Delhi.
In response, Waugh frustratingly said: "I didn’t know this was a press conference.”
Not part of the commentary team, Mark Waugh has now stated that his clashes with Dinesh Karthik were "good fun".
"It was just a bit of banter. He's the young brigade...these modern players see things differently to how we see them. It was all good fun, I can assure you. That's good. You've got to have different opinions. It'd be pretty boring if everyone had the same opinion," he said on 'Breakfast with Harf' on RSN radio.
"I just didn't agree with a lot of his opinions, to be honest. He couldn't work out my field settings etc. I think Mitchell Johnson's taken over my role in the next two Tests with Matt Hayden, just to give some balance to that commentary box in India."
Waugh also had on-air run-ins with Ravi Shastri, who teased the Australian great for predicting India were going to be whitewashed during their 2020/21 tour of Australia after the visitors suffered a humiliating defeat in the first Test.
As it turned out, the Indian team under Shastri’s coaching made a stunning comeback to seal the series 2-1.
"I remember one prediction from Mark, India will lose 4-0 when we got all out for 36," said Shastri in the commentary box during the first Test.
In reply, Waugh said: "I am not the only one who predicted that".
