Warnie hammered for criticism of O'Keefe
Spin king Shane Warne has been savaged on social media after he said man of the match Steve O'Keefe was a 'safe selection' for the first Test.
O'Keefe finished with stunning match-figures of 12-70 in Pune, piloting the tourists to a 333-run victory on day three of the four-Test series opener.
SCORECARD: India v Australia, first Test
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The 32-year-old match haul is statistically the greatest performance by a visiting spinner in India, making Warnie eat his words from a few days earlier.
Warne, speaking on Star Sports on Friday morning, questioned why selectors didn't pick Mitchell Swepson or Ashton Agar ahead of O'Keefe.
"O'Keefe is the safe option because you know he's not going to bowl much rubbish," Warne said.
"You don't see him as a huge danger with big-turning deliveries. He bowls tight.
"In these conditions, guys like Swepson and Agar could have been more of a danger option."
Warne also criticised Steve Smith's decision to hand O'Keefe the new ball in India's first innings.
"When you first start a session you want to set the tone and put pressure on the Indian batsmen and, without trying to be too harsh on Steve O'Keefe, this is the weakest of the Australian bowlers," Warne said.
"You can understand Steve Smith trying to give him confidence, but there is a time and a place for Steve O'Keefe to get his confidence, right now is the time for Australia to ram home the advantage with Nathan Lyon I believe at that end."
Even after O'Keefe sparked a monumental Indian collapse of 7-11, Warne said O'Keefe "wasn't bowling that well early."
"In his wildest dreams I don't think he imagined it could have gone that well, none of us did, but well done to him."
The social media reaction to Warnie's critique has been incredible:
Hey great man @ShaneWarne, do us a favour and write @CollingwoodFC off for the premiership!! PLEASE... 😉 #INDvAUS
— Peter Helliar (@pjhelliar) February 25, 2017
Steve O'Keefe sensational effort from a bloke who Shane Warne said was safe option and bagged Aust picking him. Thank god Warne not selector
— Ben Dorries (@bendorries76) February 25, 2017
.@ShaneWarne mate! You know I love you! Can you give it to a few more Aussie bowlers please? You've worked wonders on Stark & SOK! #IndvAus
— Dave Hughes (@DHughesy) February 25, 2017
10-64 reasons why @ShaneWarne was absolutely right to not have Steve O'keefe in the Aussie side ..... #INDvAUS
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 25, 2017
O'Keefe is doing what even the great @ShaneWarne never did. Trouncing India in India, with spin.
— Ashok Lalla (@ashoklalla) February 25, 2017
It isn't the first time Warne has questioned O'Keefe's place in the team.
"To me he is more of a white-ball bowler," Warne said after O'Keefe was added to the squad for last month's SCG Test.
with AAP