Brian O'Driscoll had to watch the third Test from the sidelines © Getty Images

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Brian O'Driscoll has said he feels resentful towards British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland after he was dropped for the series decider against Australia.

O'Driscoll started both of the Lions' first two Tests against the Wallabies, but with the series poised at 1-1, Gatland dropped O'Driscoll and opted to field 10 Wales players in the starting line-up for the third. The decision provoked a backlash of criticism with ex-Lions venting their disbelief at Gatland's call to drop one of the northern hemisphere's most decorated players.

And O'Driscoll has admitted being dropped still hurts. "Do I resent him [Gatland]? Yeah, there's resentment of course," O'Driscoll told Sky Sports. "Is he on the Christmas card list - unlikely. When you're left with disappointment that way, you can't but feel a little bit of resentment you know."

In the end, the Lions cantered to a comfortable 41-16 win over the Wallabies and the tourists had their first series win since 1997. O'Driscoll, who has confirmed this season will be his last, says he feels no resentment to the two men who were picked in the centres for the third Test - Jonathan Davies and Jamie Roberts - but feels he could have brought something to the team.

"People will say the decision was justified because of the results and the performance I guess," O'Driscoll added. "The way the team played I felt within the 13 jersey that I might have been able to do a decent job within that part of the team the way they played in that game.

"That's absolutely not taking anything away from Jonathan's performance, I thought he was pretty good that day, made some big plays at important times. But I guess it comes back to you backing yourself, feeling you too could have done some things that maybe others didn't do on the day."