Allan Border and Steve Waugh have lifted the lid on why the cricketing icons have barely spoken to each other for more than a DECADE despite playing together in the national team
- Allan Border and Steve Waugh were teammates and key figures for Australia
- The pair barely spoke when Border took over as Australia’s Test captain in 1984
- There was no tension, Border felt Waugh would be elite, no need for mentoring
- Waugh was initially shy of Border at the helm, he did not question his captain
Australian cricket greats Allan Border and Steve Waugh have revealed why they have barely spoken for over a decade despite playing in the national team together during that time.
Both men respected each other and there was no hint of animosity – ‘AB’ always felt that Waugh would be a key figure at Test level and left him to his own devices, while ‘Tugger’ remained silent due to initial shyness.
It was only after Border retired in 1994 that the couple enjoyed long chats.
When Australia toppled the West Indies power in the Caribbean in 1995, Border was welcomed into the triumphant Aussie dressing room.
‘We were sitting talking for a long time and the manager said the bus was ready and some of the guys said “wait, we’ve finally got AB to open”,’ Border recalled to News Corp.
Australian cricket greats Allan Border (pictured) and Steve Waugh have revealed why they have barely spoken for more than a decade
Both men confirmed there was no hint of animosity – ‘AB’ always felt Waugh would be a key figure at Test level, while ‘Tugger’ remained silent due to initial embarrassment
Waugh told Border he was looking forward to a detailed conversation when the pair were team-mates, to which Border replied ‘I don’t need to talk to you, because you can always come.’
Border admitted that he should have communicated more with his players when Australia’s skipper.
‘When I got the captain’s job (in 1984) I should have accepted the job more and thought a bit more about what it really meant. You’re in charge of a bunch of these blokes and they’re looking for direction,’ he said.
‘I found that out too late. There are a lot of players I could have helped along the way and I think they would have become better Test cricketers if I had been a better sounding board.
‘The communication side of things is a big weakness in my captaincy that I want to address again if I have anything else to do.’
Waugh, who made his Test debut in 1985, took over as Australia captain in 1998 from Mark Taylor and soon became one of cricket’s greatest leaders.
Waugh, who made his Test debut in 1985, took over as Australia’s captain in 1998 from Mark Taylor and soon became one of cricket’s greatest captains.
He won the World Cup in 1999 and was then at the helm as the champion Australian XI went on a 16-game unbeaten run at Test level.
Waugh holds the record for scoring the most career centuries in Test history when hitting number five, with 24 tons – and also grabbed the highest career run – 3165 – when hitting one spot down in order of six.
He played his last Test in 2004 against India and is widely regarded as a cricket icon.
