Shane Warne: 5 magnificent records held by Australian legend

Shane
Warne, the greatest leg-spinner of all time, passed away on Friday due to a
suspected heart attack. Warne is credited for reviving the dying art of
leg-spin. He finished his career with 708 Test wickets and 293 wickets in the
ODIs. The cricketing fraternity across the world mourned his death. A World
Cup, Ashes and an IPL winner, Warne will always be remembered as one of the
greatest cricketers of all time.

Also Read: Shane Warne’s family offered state funeral as Australia wakes up to sad news

As
the cricketer died at the age of 52, Opoyi takes a look at five of his
magnificent record.

First to take 600 and 700 Test
wickets

The
record for the most Test wickets is held by Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah
Muralitharan for taking 800 wickets in 133 matches, but it was Warne who first
breached the feat of 600 Test wickets. The leg-spinner is also the first to
reach the 700-wicket mark in Tests. In 2005, when Australia and England were
playing the Ashes series, Warne dismissed Marcus Trescothick to become the
first bowler to 600 wickets. A year later, during the next Ashes, Warne picked
up wicket No. 700 in the fourth Test at the MCG, dismissing Andrew Strauss.
Warne went on to dismiss four more batters and made the occasion even more
special by bagging a five-wicket-haul.

Also Read: Shane Warne death leaves Sachin Tendulkar ‘shocked, stunned & miserable’

Most wickets in a calendar year

In
2005, Warne picked up 96 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 22.02. This is
still a record for the most wickets scalped by a bowler in a calendar year.
Warne bowled 4336 balls and picked up a five-wicket-haul a staggering six
times. Warne had maintained an economy rate of 2.92.

Most wickets in Ashes

With
195 wickets from 36 Tests against England, Warne holds the record for taking
the most wickets by a bowler in the Ashes. No other bowler took as many wickets
as Warne in the Ashes. Warne also managed an average of 23.25. The 2005 Ashes
was Warne’s best, with him outfoxing England 40 times. In his final Ashes
series, Warne picked up 23 more, ending his career on a high with Australia
blanking England 5-0.

Also Read: Shane Warne dies at 52, tributes pour in

First captain to win IPL

Shane
Warne was 37 when he was appointed captain of Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural
season of IPL. RR was not given a chance but Warne, with his tactical mindset,
led a young team to title triumph. They got the better of MS Dhoni’s Chennai
Super Kings. It was during the same year that the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and
Yusuf Pathan were unearthed by Warne.

Also Read: Shane Warne: The man who breathed life into dying art of leg-spin

Most runs in a career without a
century

Warne
scored 3154 runs with 12 half-centuries. But not a single time he could take
his helmet off and raise the bat in celebration. The closest Warne came to
scoring a century was against New Zealand in the year 2001/02 but got dismissed
for 99 off the bowling of Daniel Vettori. Warne’s career boasts of several
accolades but scoring a century isn’t one of them.