Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batters Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell talked about the impact Shane Warne had on the game. The duo also recalled their conversations with the Australian spin-wizard.
Shane Warne’s sudden demise jolted the entire cricket fraternity last month. The former Australian spinner on 4th March passed away due to a suspected heart attack at his villa in Thailand, where he was found unresponsive and couldn't be revived.
Warne was inarguably one of the best spinners the game has ever witnessed. The leg-spinner represented Australia for 15 years and his name always hogged over the headlines for his on and off-field antics.
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He took over 1000 wickets across formats and is also the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket with 708 scalps in 145 matches. Warne also bagged 293 ODI wickets in 194 matches and was part of Australia’s World Cup-winning team in 1999.
Speaking on RCB Bold Diaries, Virat Kohli talked about the impact Warne had on the game of cricket. He said that he tried to copy his bowling style and the former leg-spinner always had a positive impact whenever he talked, especially about Test cricket.
"I have tried to copy his actions at some stage or the other. That's the impact he had on the game of cricket, and he was an amazing human being as well. I had a chance to speak to him quite a bit off the field as well.
"He was always positive and none of his conversations was random. It was always constructive, that you can learn from and spoke very passionately about Test cricket and cricket in general, he just loved the game,” Virat Kohli said.
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Kohli termed Warne’s sudden demise as shocking but remarked that one can cherish his cricketing career and his lifestyle. Calling him the ‘most confident personality', the former RCB skipper said that he was grateful that he got to know the Australian spin wizard.
"It was a shock to everyone, but we can just smile and look back at his cricketing career, his achievements, and his life, he lived the way he wanted to live. He is probably the most confident personality that I have met, I am grateful that I have got to know him a little bit off the field as well," he said.
Talking about the same, Glenn Maxwell called Warne his hero, who revolutionised the game with his perception of spin bowling.
"I had a lot of heroes when I was growing up watching people play, not necessarily just from cricket but from other sports as well, Shane Warne was certainly one of them. He revolutionised the game, he changed the perception of spin bowling around the world.
“All of a sudden, after he came on the scene, every team needed to have a leg-spinner to be a successful team. I suppose the person that he was away from the field was probably more inspiring to me,” Glenn Maxwell said.
Both Kohli and Maxwell will next be seen in action when RCB will lock horns against Delhi Capitals on Saturday (16th April) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
(PTI inputs)
