Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne slammed his former teammate Mark Waugh for claiming that he is past his prime.
The 35-year-old leg-spinner, who is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, said his statistics suggest that his bowling at the moment is better than ever.
"I think my role in the team has changed a lot. I'm bowling a lot more on days one, two and three. Maybe Mark should look at a few of his game statistics," he said.
Waugh had said that Warne now relies on "accuracy, subtle variation and reputation" rather than the venom of his leg spin.
Warne claimed Australia's tactical approach meant that he found himself bowling a lot less in the final session of the last day and more early in the game, when the wicket is likely to be less helpful.
"Mark's a good friend of mine. He's got to make a quid somehow. Everyone's entitled to his opinion. Mark's a very good cricket brain. If that's what he thinks, that's what he thinks.
"I look back at my statistics over the past 25 or 30 Test matches with the bat and ball and catching -- it's been better than any period of my career.
"You can either say the opposition's got really weak or I've got better . . . and I haven't played a Test match against Bangladesh and only one against Zimbabwe," he was quoted as saying by Australian web site.
Warne has so far claimed 583 wickets in 123 Tests and 293 in 194 one-dayers.
