Overview:
Shane Warne passed away at the age of 52 in 2022, while holidaying in Thailand. His brilliance with the ball was only matched by his profound influence as a mentor, nurturing the young spinners.
Almost four years after his death, Shane Warne remains a cherished figure for many, including Ish Sodhi, who is a big fan of the legendary spinner. The New Zealand leg-spinner, who grew up idolizing Warne, often reflects on the impact the Australian legend had on his career. Sodhi continues to learn new variations, but his mind frequently takes him back to the time, when he learned from Warne at Rajasthan Royals. He occasionally sends messages to Warne’s old phone number, not expecting any response, but still holding onto the hope that somehow, the messages still find their way to him.
Warne’s impact continues to play a significant role in Sodhi’s development as a cricketer. In a frank conversation with ESPNCricinfo, Sodhi shared his ambition to perfect the flipper, the delivery that skids after hitting the pitch. While his version may not be an exact copy of the one Warne made famous, Sodhi has added his personal flair to it.
“I’ve been working on this delivery for a while now. It’s an old-school flipper, just like Warnie taught. When I was younger, watching him bowl the flipper was something I couldn’t get enough of. It’s only been in the last couple of years that I’ve started using it more often, but it’s really just my take on a quicker variation of the ball,” Sodhi explained.
“Every now and then, I send Warnie a text with a video of the flipper that got me a wicket, saying, ‘Wish you could see this!’ Of course, I know he’s not receiving them, or maybe somehow he is. During the time I spent with him at Rajasthan Royals, he taught me some valuable tips on the flipper, so it’s a real shame he’s not around to see it in action,” Sodhi added.
Shane Warne passed away at the age of 52 in 2022, while holidaying in Thailand. His brilliance with the ball was only matched by his profound influence as a mentor, nurturing the young spinners. Warne captained Rajasthan Royals through the first three seasons of the IPL, where he helped develop young prospects, and later returned in 2018 as a mentor, continuing his legacy with the franchise.