Ashes 2019: Shane Warne has named his controversial all-time Ashes XI

Ben Madden

Ashes 2019: Shane Warne has named his controversial all-time Ashes XI image

Australia's 'King of Spin', Shane Warne, isn't afraid of throwing a controversial opinion out there.

However, he may have outdone himself this time.

Ahead of the fifth Ashes Test, he took to Lord's Cricket Ground's YouTube channel to name his All Time Ashes XI.

MORE: Ashes 2019: Jos Buttler delighted to contribute with counter-attacking innings against Australia

While in the video, he clarifies that this is to mean only players that he's played with or against, the fact that he's left former Australian Test captain Steve Waugh out of the XI is a bit of a mystery, given his 51.06 average at Test level.

Instead, he's found room for Steve's brother, Mark, who, with no disrespect, is considered by many to be the inferior (but by no means less successful) Waugh brother.

Steve Waugh's omission may be due to personal issues, however, with Warne saying back in 2016 that Waugh was the most "selfish cricketer" he's ever played with. 

He didn't hold back during his appearance on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Hereinstead choosing to open old wounds.

"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.

"I was really disappointed with (being dropped) 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)."

The rest of the line-up is pretty straightforward, with Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath all named for the Aussie contingent, but Warne didn't see fit to name himself. 

For what it's worth, back in 2017, Cricket Australia ran a poll to see who would be picked in the best Australian Ashes XI for the last 40 years.

Unsurprisingly, Waugh received almost 20% of the votes to be included in the side, which might suggest that on this occasion, Warne got it wrong.

Ben Madden