Watto on DRS: In the end I just gave up

Shane Watson has conceded that he failed to work hard enough to eradicate the LBW and DRS issues that plagued his Test career.

The 35-year-old played his final Test in 2015 after a 59-match career that grew divisive by the year.

Later in his career, after the decision review system was implemented, Watson became the punchline of numerous jokes because of his tendency to be dismissed leg before. He was out lbw 29 times in his career, with five coming in the back-to-back Ashes in 2013-14 and two in his only match of the 2015 series.

"I never really fully overcame it in the end," he said in a question-and-answer session with fans set up by Pakistan Super League franchise Islamabad United.

"The last time I played Test cricket I got out LBW both times. It was always something I worked on incredibly hard. I don’t particularly like failing or losing - that’s how just how I am and how I’m built, so I tried really hard to eradicate that problem.

"I used to work incredibly hard technically on it, but one thing I probably didn’t work on was the mental aspect of exactly what was setting me up to expose myself to getting out that way regularly. That was a big challenge, but now I don’t really have to worry about it as much. The balls aren’t moving around as much in Twenty20 cricket."

Watson, who also said that the 2013 Ashes in England was the "biggest challenge" of his career, conceded that the introduction of DRS played on his instincts.

For a sport whose laws mention 'the spirit of cricket', the sudden ability for batsmen to appeal an umpire's decision went against everything Watson knew.

"The review process I found challenging anyway, because growing up the umpire’s decision is always final. You don’t have to worry about whether you’re out or not,” Watson said.

"If the umpire gives you out, you're out. As soon as the reviews come in, you have to change your whole understanding of exactly whether it’s out and the rules that go with the umpire’s call. It took me a while to realise that I hadn’t worked that out at all. I made a number of bad reviews, which in the end I just gave up and realised the same thing as always: if the umpire gives you out, you’re out."

Watson answered a wide variety of questions during the 35-minute session, touching on all the hot topics in cricket.

On Nic Maddinson's situation and Ed Cowan's response: "It's incredibly challenging, there's no doubt. I went through different waves throughout my career where you feel incredibly lonely.

"There's no doubt that the media scrutiny when you play for your country is intense, and the public can also get really personal about what they think of you. I find it very interesting how when you're in form you're the greatest bloke but when you don't do well you go from a good person to a bad person. Some people can naturally deal with such things but others might not have the coping mechanisms to deal with that scrutiny."

On his favourite innings: "The one that stands out the most, recently, was my 60 against Pakistan in the quarter-final of the World Cup in Australia. That was a really important time in my career as I had been dropped a couple of games before and it was always my dream to play in a World Cup at home."

On the most difficult period of his career: "Going through Phil Hughes's death - as a cricket community, as the Australian cricket community its something that you never think you'd have to go through. It was an incredibly tough time for us and can't imagine what Phil's family had to go through. It really put things into perspective in my life and helped me understand challenges that I had never really thought of before."

On facing a team of Mitchell Johnsons or a team of David Warners: "From a fear point of view I'd like to face a team of David Warners. I know he can hit you a lot but at least I won't have to worry about Mitch Johnson bowling to me."