Australian cricket great Shane Warne says he has cleared the air with Ricky Ponting after questioning the Australia captain’s tactics via Twitter posts during this week’s second Test against India.
In a series of tweets on the fifth day of the Test in Bangalore - won by India by seven wickets - Warne criticized Ponting’s field placement particularly to off-spinner Nathan Hauritz. Warne asked how Hauritz could be expected to bowl to the fields set by Ponting, adding "what are these tactics? Sorry Ricky but what are you doing?"
Ponting said after the Test that all fields had been set at Hauritz’s request and Warne should have sought an explanation before making public criticisms.
Warne told Australia’s Nine Network on Thursday that he and Ponting had since exchanged text messages and had cleared the air.
"Me and Punter (Ponting) swapped a few SMS’s last night," Warne said. "We’re mates, we’re going to disagree a few times, it doesn’t mean suddenly we hate each other and things like that."
Warne said despite the 2-0 series loss in India, which dropped Australia to fifth on ICC world Test rankings, he was confident his former team would win this summer’s home Ashes series against England.
"It’s been hard work in India a few times. We got smashed all over the park as spinners. It’s very difficult," he said. "Unfortunately to lose 2-0 to India is not great, but I don’t think it will have an impact on the Ashes.
"Australia are always tough to beat at home. They’re a pretty proud team. We’ve always been like that over the last 20 odd years that I’ve been playing. I think we’ll give the Poms a run for their money out here."