'Emotional' Kuldeep Yadav pays tribute to Shane Warne: "I’ve lost someone from my family"

Indian left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav recently visited the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne to pay tribute to his idol, the late Shane Warne. Kuldeep Yadav also opened up about his relationship with Shane Warne, who played a significant role in shaping his career as a wrist-spinner.

Shane Warne was honored with a 300 kg bronze statue at the MCG in 2011. Warne is Australia's top wicket-taker and the second-highest overall in Tests. The former cricketer took 708 wickets in 145 Tests at an average of 25.42. He influenced and inspired players like Kuldeep Yadav with his bowling.

Warne passed away on March 4 last year at the age of 52 from a heart attack while vacationing on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand. It was found he had experienced chest pains before the fatal incident. His sudden death shocked the cricket world, and the sporting fraternity and fans expressed disbelief.

Had A Strong Connection With Him - Kuldeep Yadav

During his visit to the MCG, Kuldeep said that he felt the death of Shane Warne was like losing a family member. Kuldeep highlighted the strong connection shared with the Australian legend.

“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,” said Kuldeep during his visit to MCG.

Kuldeep was last seen in action during the ODI series against Sri Lanka, where the Rohit Sharma-led team suffered a 2-0 defeat. He has been using his off-period to travel. The left-arm spinner attended the Euro 2024 final in Germany after India's T20 World Cup win in the USA and the West Indies.

Bowling Shane Always and Forever - Kuldeep Yadav

The left-arm spinner shared images of himself with Shane Warne's statue at the MCG on social media account X (formerly known as Twitter). He captioned the post, “Bowling Shane…. Always & Forever.”

Bowling Shane…. Always & Forever. pic.twitter.com/Dlb34fPnjp

— Kuldeep yadav (@imkuldeep18) August 23, 2024

Great To Be Here At Cricket Australia's Headquarters - Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep also visited the Cricket Australia headquarters and the MCG. He expressed excitement for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Yadav expects a thrilling contest between Australia and India. Kuldeep also anticipates a large turnout for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

“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,” Kuldeep 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,” he added.

India will face Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from November 22 to January 7. The two teams will play five Tests for the first time. The highly anticipated series will start in Perth on November 22, and the Boxing Day Test will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting on December 26.

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