Shane Warne is not greatest, Muttiah Muralitharan ranks over him: Sunil Gavaskar
- Shane Warne passed away on Friday due to a suspected heart attack in Thailand
- Warne took 708 wickets in Test cricket, the second highest in the format
- Sri Lankan off-spinner Muralitharan scalped 800 Test wickets
Legendary Sunil Gavaskar expressed shock at the untimely death of Australian spin great Shane Warne, who passed away in Thailand on Friday while on a holiday. Warne was 52.
Gavaskar, who is the first cricketer to reach the milestone of 10,000 runs in Test cricket, heaped praise on Warne for his exploits for Australia but said he is not the greatest spinner of all time.
Also Read: Shane Warne vs Sachin Tendulkar: Cricketing rivalry at its finest
Talking to India Today, Gavaskar said that Indian spinners and Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan did better than Warne.
“Indian spinners and Muttiah Muralitharan were certainly better than Warne,” said Gavaskar.
Shane Warne is the second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, with 708 wickets, behind Muralitharan, who scalped 800 wickets in the longest format of the game. The Sri Lankan superstar also took 534 wickets in ODIs while Warne took 293 wickets in 50-overs cricket.
Gavaskar said that Muralitharan would “rank over him” when it comes to the comparison between the two spinners.
“For me, the Indian spinners and Muttiah Muralitharan were certainly better than Warne. Because look at Warne’s record against India. It was pretty ordinary against India,” Gavaskar said on India Today.
“Because he didn’t have much success against Indian players, who are very good players of spin bowling, I don’t think I would call him the greatest. I think, Muttiah Muralitharan with the success that he had against India would rank over him in my book.”
“He was always looking to live life fully, king size as they call it and he did that and maybe because he lived life in such a manner is perhaps the reason why his heart couldn’t take it and he passed away so soon,” Gavaskar said.
After the autopsy, Thai police said on Monday that Warne died a natural death.
On Sunday, Sky News reported that Thai police found blood stains on floor and towel in the room where Warne was found lying incautious by his friends.
Warne retired from cricket in 2007. Since retirement, he was associated with Fox Sports as a commentator.
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