"I stand here with disbelief and shock"- Virat Kohli pays tribute to Shane Warne ahead of Day 2 of 1st IND vs SL 2022 Test
Former India captain Virat Kohli has expressed his shock after hearing about the passing of legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.
The 52-year-old was found dead in his villa in Thailand on Friday and despite the efforts of the medical team, couldn't be revived.
Speaking in a video posted on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) official Instagram handle, Kohli explained how unpredictable life is, saying:
"Got the sad news last night about the demise of Shane Warne, out of nowhere to be honest. We carry on what we are doing in life. We think everything is about what we are involved in, the present moments and the trouble. But we realise quickly that life is unpredictable and fickle."
Virat Kohli, who had the pleasure of knowing Warne closely, remembered how passionate the Aussie legend was about whatever he spoke about. He added:
"Passing at the age of 52 is something which is totally unexpected, went far too early. I stand here with disbelief and shock. I got to know him personally off the field, the persona and the charisma that he brought to every conversation. Just an honest man, you could see the passion whenever he spoke. Live life king size."
"For me, the greatest spinner to have ever played the game" - Virat Kohli
A special tribute for the one and only Shane Warne. https://t.co/0b0LJ3ilgM
Virat Kohli firmly stated that, according to him, Shane Warne was the best spinner to have ever played the game.
The 33-year-old also spoke about the importance of being grateful in life for all the positive things as one never knows what may happen next. The star batter elaborated:
"For me, the greatest spinner to have ever played the game. Needless to say, he will surely be missed. I hope we can put things into perspective in life, knowing just how unpredictable things are and just be grateful for all these moments that god has given us to be alive and healthy. My deepest condolences to his family, his close ones, his children and parents. He is in our thoughts. God bless his soul."
Shane Warne enjoyed a stellar career, picking up 708 wickets for Australia in Tests - the second-highest in the format, only behind Muttiah Muralitharan's tally of 800. He also had 293 ODI scalps to her name.