Shane Warne. For kids growing up in 1990s and 2000s and following cricket, this name exudes awe. Shane was the best leg spinner or wrist spinner the game has ever produced and among the greatest bowlers not just spinners, may even modify the sentence to read cricketers the game has ever seen. Shane Warne was different to different people but if the tributes are followed and one look down the memory lane and it was apparent almost everyone had their stories and almost all of them were good.
Shane Warne the blonde and somewhat plumpish spinner made his debut in the same game in 1992 when the two Mumbai boys made merry and took the Australian attack to the cleaners with Ravi Shastri his only double and young teen Sachin Tendulkar scoring his 148 at SCG and poor Warne who had arrived on scene with lot of promise and reputation taking solitary wicket of the double centurion while conceding 150 runs. Think about having Indians who eat spinning ball for breakfast, lunch and dinner as your first opponents. And if you thought, life couldn’t be more challenging, the next series had the Sri Lankans and poor Mr. Blonde was left wanting, almost redoubting his decision of taking cricket as a career.
This series between India and Australia was also when the seeds of one of the greatest rivalries had been planted and birth of mutual admiration society for the next decade and a half on the field and ever after between Sachin and Shane which led to countless games of one upmanship between the twenty-two yards and buddies and even co-founders of Legends league in US off it. They did form an odd couple as Sachin was the timid-shy in his behavior and Shane was the maverick who lived life king size and unapologetically. Shane had a thing for good life and didn’t ever pretend to be the boy next door while Sachin was the quintessential next-door guy.
Redemption for Shane arrived in the form of the visit to every Australian’s favorite country England and the battle royale Ashes. How many people (read no one) can stake a claim that your first ball in England in a test match would be christened the ball of the century or even some places the ball. Rumors are Mike Gatting the mighty recipient of that ball still makes an annual pilgrimage to Old Trafford and brings some physics experts along to figure out how did the ball spin past him. That ball started the joyride which lasted for almost 700 wickets and another 14 years of international cricket and from a pedestrian performance in debut series to one of the greatest ever with ball in hand.
Career which took off in 1993 had hit the right notes in England and the train was more than back on track. Shane achieved success against England as no other and if Bradman could claim to slay Englishmen with willow, Shane could stake the claim for the leather magic, and he ended the career with a whopping 195 wickets against their nemesis. Victorian achieved that in the land of the Queen Victoria like no other.
Shane’s laurels weren’t limited to England, no other person can stake a claim to have won two man of the match awards in the semifinals of two ODI world cups and cherry on the cake with one in the finals that Australia won and he only played two editions of the world cup which clearly showed bigger the occasion greater his performance. Shane laid it all out on the field and though at times his off-field life was scrutinized in the media more often but it was this fixation with “morality” that ensured Shane did not captain Australia ever and any cricket pundit would acknowledge that it was Cricket Australia’s loss and more so, the game of cricket’s loss as one of its better statesman didn’t get to toss the coin in an international game. He was the best captain Australia never had or I would say he was the best strategist that world was deprived of seeing in action. He showed his mettle as a captain and more so, as a leader of men in the inaugural IPL in 2008 and got the non-flashy and non-extravagant Rajasthan Royals over the hump with his clever acumen and appreciative marshaling of men. Entire set of Indians and overseas players who were part of the RR team continue singing paeans in his favor.
Shane empowered a motley crew of men like Ravindra Jadeja who he termed Rockstar, Yusuf Pathan, Swapnil Asnodkar and other Indian youngsters who were in awe of IPL and were first time ever in their lives exposed to the shining bright lights of the prying world media. Shane mentored them and young namesake Shane Watson of Australia who flew under the scouting radar of the bigger IPL teams and went on to become the player of the tournament. Yusuf Pathan had a breakout year and so did others such as Sohail Tanvir. Read some tributes after his passing from some of these players and even Mohammed Kaif who have been raving about how it was the individual belief and brilliance of Shane Warne which made the first dance possible for a team which started the inaugural IPL 0-3. Was also befitting that his rockstar Ravindra Jadeja who had had some memorable performances for India over the years reserved his ultimate best in a test which coincided with the date when Shane left for the world above.
Subcontinent has produced many top spinners but interestingly Australia has always had their share of top shelf leg spinners such as Grimmett, Benaud, Macgill etc. and Shane Warne was an absolute beast amongst those overachievers. I may even anoint him as the greatest leg spinner ever or for that matter, top 3 bowlers of all time. Shane Warne had transformed himself into a healthier self and had continued to regale audiences with his articulated analysis in the commentary box. His reading of the game was among the best and one kept on marveling at what could have been if he had been given the leader hat. Critics might argue that the Aussies were the best in business during that era and anyone could have led that team but that is for another day.
Shane Warne continued to stay in touch with young Indian cricketers and mentored them and answered their questions. He was especially fond of children world over and always spent long time signing autographs and posing for pictures. Shane was very close to his own kids and parents and brother and though he was maligned in media for living that public and colorful life. He was amongst the most grounded superstars, and I had the first hand experience in Legends game at Houston when he walked over and was mingling with the fans unlike the subcontinent superstars and demigods who were keeping their distance from their own kin.
Shane Warne was named to Wisden’s all time Test XI of 150 years of cricket and was also named amongst the top 5 players of the century which by no means are achievements that mere mortals can stake a claim to. This goes on to prove he was loved world over both by his fraternity and fans and was held in the highest esteem. Interestingly, Rod Marsh another legend of Australia who could have formed a lethal combination with Shane behind the wickets was also lost few hours earlier and they would form a tag team in the all time Aussie eleven in the heavens.
Thank you, Shane, for giving us those magic years. RIP flamboyant sultan of spin.
