Shane Warne's passing sent shockwaves to the cricketing fraternity, with his tweeting for the demise of another Aussie legend Rodney Marsh just 12 hours before.
The passing of Shane Warne marks the end of an illustrious career both as a skilful cricketer and an extraordinary intellectual of the game.
Warne's greatest contribution to cricket was perhaps reviving an art that was deemed a thing of the past in the game of cricket, perhaps, evident from current perceptions about cricket, where we hardly get to see a team without leggies in shorter formats of the game.
Warne was the product of Australia Institute of sports – a program aimed at nurturing Olympians which later added a wing for cricket after the dismal performance of Aussies in Ashes during the 1980s.
Often ridiculed for his obese body and perpetual inclination towards self-destruction, Warne's rise to prominence was a story of wonders.
Warne's debut against India in 1992 was just another chapter to forget in his struggle. Claiming one after bowling over 40 overs invited a lot of pessimism. Thanks to his captain, Allan Border, who observed what nobody could in the twenty-two year old blonde Victorian.
Cometh the moment, cometh the man. What he crafted with his first ball on the grandest stage of test cricket simply defies impossibility. The ball of the century in the 1993 Ashes at Old Trafford was an announcement to every batter around the world, especially because it was against Mike Gatting – England's most reliable resistance tool against spin then.
It was the start of Australia's dominance, and Warne seemed to be at the forefront of the idea. Warne's success story continued with Australia claiming the Ashes in 1994 and Warne was an integral part of that win. His first hat-trick came in that Ashes.
Perhaps, the magic of Shane Warne unfolded most viciously in the semi final of the World Cup 1996, by terrorising the Windies tail enders to give Australia an unlikely victory.
Warne's lowest point in terms of injuries came in this period when he had to undergo surgeries and miss a substantial number of matches for Australia.
Upon his return to another World Cup in 1999, his struggle seemed to hit the peak and looked ordinary in the group stages. But his mentality and will power levelled it up, and eventually he picked himself up and claimed the man of the match in the final of World Cup 1999, finishing the tournament as joint most wicket taker.
Warne's impact on the game was far-reaching and the recognition duly came along in 2000 when he joined illustrious company of Bradman, Hobbes, Richards and Sobers as one of the Wisden cricketers of the century.
Warne's dominance didn’t follow him in India, where he surprisingly remained unsuccessful. His lack of productivity meant Australia suffered their first loss of a test series in years in 2001 in India.
Aside from a six wicket haul in his last tour in India, his performance is hardly notable but his contribution to series wins in Srilanka and Pakistan is a testament to how dangerous he was in this subcontinent.
It is often said that Warne is the best leader Australia never had. In 2003, he wasted the opportunity to lead the Aussies in the World Cup after testing positive in the drug test.
However, the big man returned in style in Ashes 2005, albeit in a losing cause, claiming 40 wickets in the series.
This was one of the highlights of his career and the English crowd's change of chants from “where's your missus gone” to “Wish you were English” clearly demonstrates the man's calibre and stature.
Australia and Warne although lost the Ashes in 2005 in an agonising fashion, he made up for it by whitewashing England in the following Ashes in Australia
This is, of course, an emotional farewell to one of the immortals of the game. What he has done for the gentleman's game can simply be rivalled by notable few.
