OTD| Former legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne passed away in 2022

Former Australian legend Shane Warne passed away on this day in 2022 leaving a massive void among cricket fans. It was an unbearable loss for the cricket fraternity across the globe as there would be no other character like Shane Warne. He was a ‘King’ on and off the field. Australian cricket would be forever indebted for his indelible contributions. 

The Australian great died of a heart attack while he was in Koh Samui, Thailand. Atherosclerosis became the reason for his untimely death. However, he might not be among us physically but his cricketing legacy would live on forever. 

Shane Warne is synonymous with the art of leg spin. He is the one who popularized leg spin. The art existed even before his arrival but “the King” created a craze for this craft. He was an absolute match-winner who could change the game in any situation. Adversities would give him a stage to shine better and he always used that stage to show his bowling masterclass. 

Warne had a magic wand

There are few sportspersons who are defined by not just stats but the way they play their game. History would not evaluate Warne only on the basis of his extraordinary bowling stats but his presence on the field was what made him stand apart. In the league of legends like Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, the Spin King stood class apart. He was the tallest among these legends of the game. Shane Warne never became the captain of the Australian team but it does not need a designation to lead a team of stars. Warne was a leader in a true sense who made his team rally behind him in testing times. 

The Australian fans witnessed the journey of a young flashy Shane Warne in 1992 to an all-time great Shane Warne in 2007 who bid farewell to cricket in his customary style. On this day of remembrance, we doff our hat to “The King.”