Shane Warne has done more for spin bowling than anyone, opines Muttiah Muralitharan

Former Australian cricketing great Shane Warne passed away on Friday due to a suspected heart attack at the age of 52. The leg-spinner was at a villa in Thailand and doctors tried to revive him but failed to do so. Warne’s untimely demise was shocking for the cricketing fraternity who saw the legend on field taking wickets in plenty. 

Muttiah Muralitharan and Warne were contemporaries and there was always a competition between these two to top the all-time wicket-takers list. Warne picked 708 Test wickets while Muralitharan had 92 more by the end of his career. 

Reflecting on the demise of his good friend and Australian counterpart Warne, Muralitharan said that he has done more than anyone for the betterment of spin bowling. 

"It's shocking. I don't know what to say. He's a good friend and also a legendary cricketer. What he has done for spin bowling is more than anyone. He will be remembered as one of the greats in history. It's not the age to die. He was fit whenever I saw him. It's sad for the whole cricket fraternity. It's a big, big loss for the cricketing fraternity,"Muralitharan told India Today.

"I first saw him in 1992. He won a match for Australia in difficult times. Then I thought, he was going to be a different bowler. It's shocking news for the world."

Warne had posted on social media last expressing his condolences to the family of Rod Marsh who passed away on Thursday.