“Hey Binga, just found out you’re playing”: Brett Lee once revealed how Shane Warne informed him about his Test debut in 1999 Boxing Day Test

Shane Warne and Brett Lee are certainly two of the best bowlers to play the game for Australia. Warne was the first player in the history of Test cricket to surpass the milestone of 700 wickets. The legendary leg-spinner passed away last year in Thailand, and it shook the cricketing fraternity.

Considered one of the fastest bowlers around, Lee was an important figure in Australia’s invincible squad. Despite facing a lot of injury concerns throughout his career, Lee was one of the lethal bowlers and the batters feared him. Lee finished his Test career with 310 wickets in 76 matches, whereas he also scalped 380 ODI and 28 T20I wickets.

ALSO READ: Shane Warne fight with Marlon Samuels in BBL

Lee was the first bowler in the history of T20I cricket to take a hat trick. The Test career of Lee was cut short due to injuries, and he played his last test in 2008 against South Africa at the MCG, where he broke his foot. He was then forced to miss the 2009 Ashes due to a side strain.

Brett Lee revealed how Shane Warne informed him about his Test debut

Talking to Fox Cricket, Brett Lee revealed an interesting incident about his Test debut in 1999. Australia was set to play against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and Lee said that either he or Michael Kasprowicz would have played the match. However, when the team was walking down to the ground, Warne confirmed Lee about his debut.

Lee told that Warne asked him to act surprised in front of captain Steve Waugh. Although, Lee said that Waugh figured out the same as he was constantly smiling about the same, and Warne was behind him as well.

“And as I’m walking down to find out who is in the team, it was either me or Michael Kasprowicz,” he said of the final selection dilemma selectors faced before the first day of play,” Brett Lee said to Fox Cricket

“I’m the second last to walk down and Warnie is behind me and he goes, ‘Hey Binga, just found out you’re playing, right, so congratulations, but when Tugger [captain Steve Waugh] tells you act surprised’.”

Lee had a memorable Test debut where he scalped 5 wickets by conceding 47 runs in the 1st innings, he got a couple of wickets in the 2nd innings as well. Australia won the match by 180 runs, but Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the Man of the Match trophy for scoring a century in the 1st innings and a half-century in the 2nd.