Shane Warne insisted before his death there was nothing personal about his attacks on Mitchell Starc

In one of his last unpublished interviews, Shane Warne attempted to offer peace over “a beer” in his controversial relationship with Mitchell Starc.

In one of his last unpublished interviews, Shane Warne attempted to offer peace over “a beer” in his controversial relationship with Mitchell Starc.

Just weeks before his shock death, Warne spoke to News Corp about why he felt a sense of duty as a commentator to give his honest opinion at all times and insisted that his regular criticism of Starc over recent years was “not personal.”

After Warne boldly declared on Fox Cricket that he would have dropped Starc for the first Test of the summer, Starc went on to claim a wicket off the first ball of the series and blitz the first three Tests of the Ashes to become just the fourth bowler to ever win the Allan Border medal.

Mitchell Starc celebrates his famous first ball Ashes wicket of Rory Burns. Picture: AFP

Starc’s camp had grown tired of the relentless yearly attacks on the fast bowler, but Warne’s manager James Erskine has revealed that the spin king had actually acknowledged privately that this summer he was wrong in his harsh assessment of Starc.

Warne told News Corp he would have happily sat down for a “beer” with Starc at any point to talk things through and hoped his blunt commentary – although not welcomed – would be used as a motivating force.

“I have no issue whatsoever. It’s not personal. If Mitchell Starc wants to talk about anything I’m happy to talk to him too. If he wants to have a beer and have a chat about stuff, I’ll say, ‘Mitch, mate, happy to chat,’” Warne told News Corp in an unpublished interview during the recent summer.

“It’s nothing personal. I’m there to judge what I see … It devalues the public out there (if you don’t give) your opinion. It looks like you’re having favourites.

“Unfortunately, I’ve got an opinion and I think it’s important that us commentators, or people in the game, yourself (journalists) included, you’ve got to be honest with your opinions and some people aren’t going to like it, which is fine.

“But maybe they might respect it, or maybe it might even inspire them. Who knows?

“They might say; ‘I’ll show you.’ That’s good too.”

The paradox with Warne was that he was often himself thin skinned about criticism that came his way, but he gave broadcasters unparalleled value as a commentator, because he never sat on the fence and always said what he thought.

Many felt Warne’s opinions on Starc had become targeted.

Warne was always very critical of Mitchell Starc. Picture: Getty Images

Erskine attempted to direct a message to Starc in an interview with Fox Cricket where he explained that where most people might be more adept at applying nuance and subtlety – it was simply Warne’s unique nature to be unapologetically black and white in his opinions.

“Most of us know there’s a thousand shades of grey in the middle, but it wasn’t for Shane. He was very black and white,” Erskine told Fox.

“And that was part of his success. At the end of the day, he could have an opinion and criticise somebody.

“Mitchell Starc right now, if Mitchell is listening to this, he basically gave you some curry before the last Ashes, and that was his opinion.

“So I actually said to him, I said; ‘you were wrong about Mitchell Starc.’

“And he said, ‘well you know what? I probably was. But I think I probably helped him get better.’

“And it’s interesting the way his mind works.”

Fellow Fox Cricket commentator Michael Vaughan believed even Warne’s harshest opinions were born out a deep passion for Australian cricket.

“People have to realise it’s just an opinion. At times people say he’s being personal, but you don’t know,” Vaughan said.

“The mindset of Shane Warne, he might be triggering a personal attack on someone to try and trigger a response because he cares that passionately about Australian cricket.

“I think all he ever wanted was the best out of people. I have the gut feeling that when he was criticising individuals, it was because he felt like they could do better.

“It was almost like he was the psychologist in the room just giving the honest truth. He wasn’t hiding behind trees, he just says it.

“Whether you agreed or disagreed with his opinion, he’s going to be hugely missed.”