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Anil Kumble, the other great leg-spinner of the modern era, said that Shane Warne had contributed immeasurably to reviving spin bowling around the world, though he predicted that Muttiah Muralitharan would soon overhaul whatever record Warne leaves behind.

“There’s going to void in Australian and world cricket,” said Kumble, addressing the press corps after a training session in Durban.

“I have always admired him and followed his bowling closely. I’ll definitely miss watching him bowl on television,” he remarked.

“He had a fantastic career. When Fred Truman reached 300 Test wickets, people thought it would be tough for someone else to replicate that feat. Warne has 700 wickets, that’s an amazing achievement,” he expressed.

Though they were markedly different in their approach and style, Kumble admitted that if there was one thing he envied, it was Warne’s ability to give the ball a good rip.

“If there is one thing he has that I would love to have, it is the ability to spin the ball the way he does,” he said.

Kumble said that breaching the 700-barrier would be a fitting final act for Warne, though he reckoned that Murali would go past sooner, rather than later.

“There are a lot more Test matches played these days than used to be earlier. Teams get to play between 12 and 14 Tests a year, Australia probably a little more,” he explained.

Source:The News