Shane Warne, one of the greatest spinners cricket has ever seen, passed away in Thailand on Friday. He was found unresponsive in his villa and could not be revived. It was a twin blow for Australia after wicket-keeping legend Rodney Marsh succumbed earlier in the day and Warne had tweeted condolences to his senior.
At 52, Warne was an essential presence in the game he lorded over as evident from 708 Test wickets and a yield of 293 in ODIs through a career that lasted over a decade and a half.
The leg-spinner was part of World Cup and Ashes winning squads and after his retirement in 2007, donned various roles linked to cricket, be it as a coach or commentator.
An astute thinker and one of cricket’s legends, Warne revived the art of spin and along with Muttiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble, made it fashionable. He was Wisden’s five cricketers of the 20th century, in a list headlined by Sir Don Bradman.
