Shane Warne

His name is Shane Warne. In no particular order, there were the women, the bookmaker, the prohibited drugs (apparently prescribed by his mother), consistent divorces, more women and sensational news. Yet, one fixation always eclipsed all these off-field activities – his larger than life moral fiber on the cricket pitch and more prominently, his splendid artistry and the heights to which he took the branch of spin bowling.

With his presence, the Victorian brought a lot of zest to the game. He brought with him stupendous skill, glamour, controversies and nightmares for batsmen around the world!

The art of spin-bowling had diminished before Warne stormed into the stage in the early 90's. Also, Australia did not encompass a great narration of spin bowlers, at least when compared with the Asian nations. After former leggies Richie Benaud and Clarrie Grimmett, Warne emerged as only the third spin bowler from Down Under to claim over 200 Test wickets.

Warne made his Test debut against India in 1992. In two Tests, his overall figures were one wicket for 228 runs – the outcome – he was sent back to the Adelaide Academy. Although, Allan Border continued to believe that Warney had something ‘special’.

His partnership with wicket-keeper Ian Healy was a legendary one. The famous phrase "bowling Warney," has echoed through stump microphones all around the world.

Warney was the most refreshing sight for world cricket after fast bowlers were overriding the batsmen all the way through the 60s, 70s and 80s. Especially, after the retirement of the great Indian spin bowlers of the golden era.

He made his debut under the headship of Allan Border and fashioned the largest impact during his first Ashes series, when he bowled ‘the ball of the century,’ according to Wisden. He was bowling to Mike Gatting and spun a delivery from the leg to the off stump viciously and bamboozled the former England captain, clipping the bails of his off-stump. 

Mike Gatting on facing the ‘ball of the century’

"I suppose I can say that 'I was there' at the moment he first indicated his potential to the wider world. There or thereabouts, anyway. Thanks to him, there are many more leg-spinners in the game. We may not see his like again."

In 1998, Warne was told by surgeons that he might have to quit the sport, following a critical operation on his bothersome shoulder. He bounced back like a true champion and made a terrific comeback during the summer of 1999 and spun Australia to World Cup glory in England. He claimed four wickets apiece in the crucial semis and the final.

Some of his most enchanting flashes came under the leadership of Steve Waugh. The tweaker played an integral role during Australia's world-record breaking 16 consecutive Test victories (1999-2001/02). He hit the peak of his form in the post 1999 era when he added new weapons to his armory – a sliding straighter delivery and a ‘zooter’.

"It's very hard to judge across eras but Warne would sit pretty comfortably as the second best player ever. He has been responsible for winning more Test matches than anyone else I have seen or played with," said former Australian captain Steve Waugh.

© AFP Warney, Slater, Gillespie and crew celebrate

Warne has confessed in the times gone by that he dreamt of captaining his nation. There were hearsays that due to his contentious off-field activities, Cricket Australia renounced from gratifying his dream. Although, former captain Ian Chappell was of the belief that the champion, with his charisma and buoyancy, would have made an able leader.

In 2000, he surfaced as Australia's highest-ever Test wicket taker by passing Dennis Lillee's 355 in New Zealand. It was the year when he was rated by Wisden as one of the five cricketers of the 20th century – an honour that signified his vividness and originality.

There was a time in Warne’s career, where he mimicked the careers of great sporting legends like Mike Tyson and Mohammad Ali. He would land himself in new controversies on a regular basis, and the reporters would be itching to bring the same to the masses. Warney was the media’s heartthrob and someone the English loved to hate!

© AFP 1999 World Cup: Warney is thrilled a blitz after spinning his team to victory

In the same context, another huge hullabaloo he was mixed up in was when being fined by Cricket Australia, after admitting that he along with Mark Waugh had supplied match information to an Indian bookmaker. The ACB covered up the scandal, but the media exposed it three years later.

He was always the centre of attraction, no matter what happened. McGrath and Warne were the pioneers of Australia’s ‘invincible era.’ Bowlers like Fleming, Gillespie, MacGill, Kasprowicz, Brett Lee etc. came and went, but Australia were always over-dependent on the two exemplary figures of contemporary cricket.

Warne has said in the past that Australia's loss in the Ashes in 2005 was one of the worst moments of his cricketing career. Some cricketers even took an oath of regaining the lost pride before hanging up the boots.

He always took his batting very seriously and caused great troubles for oppositions, batting at number eight. Having Gilchrist bat at number seven in the better half of his career helped. His highest Test score remains 99 against New Zealand.

Shane Warne has suffered numerous shoulder and finger injuries all through out his illustrious career. Yet, he always had the tendency of bouncing back and adding that extra flavour to the Aussie attack. Many experts believe that Australia were as good as they were in the late 90's because of Warne's skills. No team in history had a 3 fast bowler-1 spinner combination like the great Australian team of 99-'04

© AFP Jubilated after foxing Tendulkar - MCG, 1999

The great man has done ‘reasonably well,’ in his standards during former Cricket World Cups. He couldn’t play in the 2003 World Cup due to his intake of the banned substance.

He did play a starring role in Australia's 1999 World Cup triumph, being named the man of the match after the final against Pakistan at Lord's. Warne captured four wickets in the semi-final too. Back in the 1996 World Cup semi-final against West Indies, Shane Warne captured four crucial wickets and won the match for Australia. West Indies were cruising towards victory, before Warney's spell spun Oz to the 1996 World Cup final.

His departure has by now verified its upshot – bowlers like Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg are not able to live up to the standards. Logically, it is quite unjust to expect forthcoming spinners to fill into the GARGANTUAN shoes of Shane Warne.

There are cricketers who tend to leave a huge impact after retirement, but in the fashionable game, it is hard to envisage somebody else leaving a superior one.