Shane Warne: Six books you must read to learn more about Australia cricket legend – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Shane Warne, who died on March 4, 2022, was one of the greatest cricketers and cricket commentators to have come out of Australia. He had a special relationship with India, most recently due to his stint with the Rajasthan Royals team in the Indian Premier League.

Shane Warne (L) during a book signing event for his new autobiography titled “No Spin”, in Melbourne on October 19, 2018. AFP

He served as a captain, coach and mentor. On the professional front, Warne became famous as a right-arm leg spinner. On the personal front, his name got embroiled in numerous scandals. We bring you a list of six books to read to learn more about who he was and the life he led.

Playing it My Way by Sachin Tendulkar and Boria Majumdar (2014)

Tendulkar, former captain of the Indian men’s cricket team, teamed up with sports journalist Majumdar to write this biography that was published by Hodder & Stoughton. Tendulkar recalls his encounters with several colleagues and competitors, including Warne.

Tendulkar writes, “…the fact that he (Warne) had talent was obvious from the very first day he took to the field in January 1992.” He remembers Warne’s debut as “a plump Australian leg spinner with a mop of blond hair” who “took only one wicket in the match” but convinced everyone that “he could give the ball a fair rip.” If this seems like high praise, you will be bowled over as you read on. Tendulkar calls him “Australia’s most potent weapon”.

This book also describes the once-in-a-lifetime experience that Warne and Tendulkar had when they were invited to visit Sir Don Bradman – known as the greatest batter of all time – on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday. They were nervous and excited as they made their way to the legend’s house in Adelaide. Tendulkar recalls, “I remember debating with Shane in the taxi on the way about who should talk to him first. I said that it should be Shane, because he’s a fellow Australian; he said that it should be me, because I’m a fellow batter.”

Stargazing: The Players in My Life by Ravi Shastri with Ayaz Memon (2021)

Shastri, who has served Indian cricket in multiple capacities such as captain, coach and commentator, has co-authored this engaging book with sports journalist Memon. Published by HarperCollins, it introduces readers to all the cricketers whom Shastri has “admired, enjoyed playing with/against or watching, and above all learnt from.” This includes Warne.

Warne is described as a titan, larger-than-life character, and “perhaps the best spinner the game’s ever seen.” Generous with admiration, Shastri writes, “He (Warne) may not have the record for the highest number of Test wickets, but what he could do with ball in his hand was magical and was the reason for many of Australia’s victories in his era.” Shastri notes that Warne relished attention, not for its own sake, but as motivation to “get better and better.”

Shastri captures many aspects of Warne’s personality in this book – the sharp mind, the readiness to compete in any situation, the unwillingness to give up, and the gift of the gab. Shastri zeroes in on the skills and strategies that enabled Warne to succeed in his career.

He writes, “Most of the half-volleys, full tosses or half-pitchers he bowled were to try and seduce the batsman into making errors. Warne’s ability to read a pitch, a match situation and set up batsmen was quite amazing. He was not only technically brilliant, but loved engaging in a battle of wills with batsmen, out-thinking them, and leading them to their doom.”

This book places Warne’s contributions in a historical context. According to Shastri, at a time when slow bowlers “were becoming history”, Warne helped revive spin bowling along with Muttiah Muralitharan from Sri Lanka and Anil Kumble from India. “At his best, he (Warne) was pure theatre, whether marking his run up or running in to bowl, or appealing for a dismissal. He didn’t always succeed, but he managed to give batsmen sleepless nights.”

It Takes All Sorts: Celebrating Cricket’s Colourful Characters by Peter Roebuck (2005

This spirited book about debuts, hits and misses, retirements and controversies is based on a reporting career spanning 25 years. It was written by Roebuck, who started off as an English opening batsman and right-arm offspin bowler, and reinvented himself as a newspaper columnist and radio commentator in Australia. The book was published by Allen & Unwin.

Roebuck praises Warne for being a risk-taker and “a supreme technician” who worked at his game “until the ball obeyed his every instruction.” Roebuck writes, “He has baffled batsmen, bowled them round their legs and fooled them with flippers, googlies and other ruses of his own creation. And he has done it with a grin that hints at a ruthlessness beneath the humour.”

Apart from drawing attention to Warne’s technique as a cricketer, Roebuck emphasizes the man’s public persona as an entertainer. “Although a craftsman of the highest order, he (Warne) has not been content with the quiet efficiency that accompanies the cobbler and the silversmith. Always there has been the performance, the desire for the roars of the crowd, the lure of the spotlight…He has been many things in his life, but seldom dull,” writes Roebuck.

Spun Out: The Shane Warne Story by Paul Barry (2006)

This controversial biography written by Barry, an investigative reporter, was published by Bantam. The author clarifies that Warne had asked his friends not to speak to Barry but many of them did, including schoolmates, teachers, friends, acquaintances, and fellow cricketers. The book is unflattering, to say the least. It has one kind chapter titled “Good Boy at Last?”

Barry writes, “In February 2005, one year after his dramatic comeback from the drug ban, Warne went back to Sri Lanka on behalf of his new children’s charity, the Shane Warne Foundation, to help raise money for victims of the December 2004 tsunami.” Muttiah Muralitharan, who narrowly escaped the huge tidal wave, wanted Warne to show up at a big fundraising dinner. He said yes. A television crew joined the touring party, and funded a large part of the trip. They flew Warne to some of the most badly hit areas, and filmed him there.

“Jaunts like this are largely for show, of course, but it’s an excellent way for celebrities to put their fame to good use, and it offered Warne an opportunity to rebuild his image, as well as to help,” writes Barry. As Warne walked through the debris, he was followed by homeless children who knew him. Warne took a genuine interest in their lives, and connected with them. He also met 200 young Sri Lankan would-be spinners, calling each one ‘Sir’.

Barry recalls, “Warne was mobbed like a rock star. Everywhere he went, even while he was trying things on for size, people thrust pen and paper in his face. Yet he never lost his temper. He simply told them nicely: ‘Hang on while I do this, I’ll get to you in a moment’.”

One Who Will: The Search for Steve Waugh by Jack Egan (2004)

In this book published by Allen & Unwin, club cricketer and author Egan writes about former Australian cricket captain Waugh, who excelled as a batter and medium-pace bowler. The author draws on interviews with cricketers, coaches and commentators apart from published material. He touches upon allegations that former Pakistani cricketer Salim Malik had offered bribes to Australian cricketers Mark Waugh, Shane Warne and Tim May in Pakistan in 1994.

Warne confessed what he did. As a result, he had to pay the fine that he was ordered to.

The book also addresses how physically demanding cricket can be for players. Warne suffered many injuries – broken toe, ligament tear, broken finger, hamstring strain, muscle tear, and dislocated shoulder. Egan writes, “Shane Warne had been having finger trouble since the West Indies tour in 1995. His spinning finger, the middle finger of his right hand, had deteriorated steadily and during the 1995–96 season he was having cortisone injections into the knuckle.” He had to endure a lot of pain, miss games, and also undergo surgery.

No Spin: My Autobiography by Shane Warne with Mark Nicholas (2018)

In this book published by Ebury Press, Warne takes control of the narrative surrounding his personal life and offers his perspective on events that have been portrayed as scandalous.

He writes, “There are choices I’ve made and actions I’ve taken that have both embarrassed and let down other people – my children, in particular. Those things I regret. Most of them have concerned women. I’m not always guilty as charged, but more often than not I’ve been to blame for stories that have become public and caused a lot of pain.” He did not care much about the consequences of his choices until he became a father of three grown-up children.

This book is an attempt to correct what feels – to him – like misrepresentation. Warne acknowledges that being “into women” has cost him “massively” but fails to understand why consensual sex between adults is fodder for media. He writes, “I haven’t committed crimes, nothing I’ve done is illegal, and, in my view, it’s not anyone else’s business either…When these stories have broken, it’s like I’ve been unfaithful to the whole of Australia.”

Warne comes across as remorseful but also victim-like. He wants to change. He writes, “My history was everywhere and therefore hard to avoid…The truth is that I want to share a life with a wonderful woman, not be a lonely old bastard turning up on news bulletins here and there.” This book resounds with a deep longing for marriage, tradition, stability, and love.

Chintan Girish Modi is a writer, journalist, commentator and book reviewer.

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