Nadeem
03-29-2008, 04:51 PM
Jaipur: He was the last rockstar in the world of cricket, the wizard of spin. And now he is in India. Australian bowling great Shane Warne is here for the launch of the Jaipur IPL team. CNN-IBN's Sports Editor Gaurav Kalra spoke to the spin legend on IPL, and his great rivalry with Sachin Tendulkar.
Gaurav Kalra: Let me begin by asking you, can you still rip a leg break as far as you used to a year or so ago?
Shane Warne: I hope so! I have been bowling a bit in the nets, I've been doing a lot of work with Cricket Australia with the young spinners and the captains around each day. So I have been bowling a bit in the nets, and they are coming out okay.
Gaurav Kalra: And they are spinning across the rough like they used to and torment batsmen across the world.
Shane Warne: It's more of an encouragement. It's not so much of sledging, but just bowling. It's been really exciting doing that. I'm really excited about the IPL, where I'm playing for Emerging Media (Jaipur franchise, Rajasthan Royals). We are quite an exciting side actually. So, I'm looking forward to it.
Gaurav Kalra: Shane Warne versus Sachin Tendulkar, one of the great battles of the modern game. You must be thirsting to take on the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Shane Warne: Sachin Tendulkar to me, I wrote an article in The Times about my top 50 players, and I just about pencilled him in first, him and Brian Lara, as there is a lot of talk about who is the best. But to me, just the way Sachin conducts himself, the way he goes about things, the way he accepts the umpires' decisions, and unfortunately he has had a few shockers, and just the way he plays.
I think every single time we played against Sachin, him and I always had a great contest, and I think he knew when he was facing me, that he had to bat well, otherwise I get him out. And I knew if I didn't bowl well, I get smacked. And most of the times he smacked me.
But getting to know him over a long period of time, I consider him a friend too, and I like to think we are good friends. It doesn't mean I don't look forward to bowling against him still, I have always looked forward to playing against the best. If they are too good for you on a particular day, so well played. Hopefully I can get him out occassionaly though.
Gaurav Kalra: Let me begin by asking you, can you still rip a leg break as far as you used to a year or so ago?
Shane Warne: I hope so! I have been bowling a bit in the nets, I've been doing a lot of work with Cricket Australia with the young spinners and the captains around each day. So I have been bowling a bit in the nets, and they are coming out okay.
Gaurav Kalra: And they are spinning across the rough like they used to and torment batsmen across the world.
Shane Warne: It's more of an encouragement. It's not so much of sledging, but just bowling. It's been really exciting doing that. I'm really excited about the IPL, where I'm playing for Emerging Media (Jaipur franchise, Rajasthan Royals). We are quite an exciting side actually. So, I'm looking forward to it.
Gaurav Kalra: Shane Warne versus Sachin Tendulkar, one of the great battles of the modern game. You must be thirsting to take on the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Shane Warne: Sachin Tendulkar to me, I wrote an article in The Times about my top 50 players, and I just about pencilled him in first, him and Brian Lara, as there is a lot of talk about who is the best. But to me, just the way Sachin conducts himself, the way he goes about things, the way he accepts the umpires' decisions, and unfortunately he has had a few shockers, and just the way he plays.
I think every single time we played against Sachin, him and I always had a great contest, and I think he knew when he was facing me, that he had to bat well, otherwise I get him out. And I knew if I didn't bowl well, I get smacked. And most of the times he smacked me.
But getting to know him over a long period of time, I consider him a friend too, and I like to think we are good friends. It doesn't mean I don't look forward to bowling against him still, I have always looked forward to playing against the best. If they are too good for you on a particular day, so well played. Hopefully I can get him out occassionaly though.