Melbourne: Indian wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has revealed that the death of Australian legend Shane Warne two years ago felt like the loss of a family member to him as he always believed that there was a strong connection between them.
Kuldeep, who is on a short family trip in Australia, visited the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the home ground of his “idol” where he posed for a photo with Warne’s statue outside the stadium.
“Shane Warne was my idol, and I had a very strong connection with him. I still get emotional when I think about Warnie — it feels like I’ve lost someone from my family,” Kuldeep said.
This is not the first Kuldeep has shared his emotions on Shane Warne’s demise.
“I was shocked to hear about his demise. I actually cried. I didn’t understand. It felt like someone close to me passed away. I was always in touch with him. I spoke with him 10 days before he died,” Kuldeep said in the latest episode of Breakfast with Champions YouTube show.
Kuldeep, who has had an excellent couple of years, since making his comeback from the knee injury and he has told this newspaper about how Shane Warner’s advice has helped him got his rhythm and confidence back.
“Ahead of the Sydney Test in 2019, I was a little nervous before the match. I used to meet him in the morning. He came to me and said, ‘I don’t know what you are going to bowl, but I want you to be happy on the ground. I will be watching you from the pavilion. It doesn’t matter how you bowl. Just do it with a smile.’”
Kuldeep’s visit to Melbourne also included a tour of the Cricket Australia (CA) headquarters.
“It’s great to be here at Cricket Australia’s headquarters and the iconic MCG. I’m looking forward to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and we’re anticipating a great cricket contest between Australia and India this year,” he said.
The 29-year-old also acknowledged the unwavering support of Indian cricket fans. He said: “India cricket fans always support the team around the globe, and I’m confident they will come in big numbers for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, especially during the Boxing Day Test.”
