OTD – Remembering Spin legend Shane Warne on his 54th birth anniversary
Despite some poor performances at the end of his career, Warne became the first bowler to take 700 wickets in Test cricket.
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Sep 13, 2023 3:05 pm
Shane Warne (Source: Twitter)
Modern-day cricket is the game of batters. From rules to pitches, everything mostly supports them and their skills. However, there was a time when bowlers ruled the game, especially spin bowlers. From the early 1990s to the 2010s, a bowler who inspired generations of spin bowling ruled the world. Today, on his birth anniversary, the cricketing world is remembering his amazing contributions to the game. We are talking about none other than legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne. Warne, who died at the age of 52 last year, would have turned 54 today. With his amazing bowling performance and unpredictable spin, he ruled the world for over a decade.
Warne started his international career in 1992 after terrific performances in domestic cricket. However, it was the 1993 Ashes series in England that launched his amazing Test career. In the third test of the series, Warne produced an amazing delivery that left everyone in shock. His ball pitched outside the leg stump turned to uproot the off stump of English batter Mike Gatting. Everyone was left shocked by that delivery, as it was named the ‘ball of the century’.
Shane Warne became the first player to pick 700 Test wickets
After that delivery, Shane Warne continued to rule the world for the next 14 years. He, along with India’s Anil Kumble and Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralidharan, wrote the new chapters of Test cricket. However, in 2007, the time came when Warne decided to bid adieu to the game. Despite some poor performances at the end of his career, Warne became the first bowler to take 700 wickets in Test cricket.
Warne ended his Test career with 708 wickets in 145 Test matches. He also took nearly 300 wickets in one-day internationals and a total of 1001 wickets in his international career. However, due to a sudden heart attack during a vacation in Thailand, Warne left his legacy and this world behind on March 4, 2022. His departure left a void in the cricket world.
