“Shane Warne was someone really different and he was on a different plane”: When Anil Kumble opened up on his comparison with Shane Warne

Anil Kumble did an Instagram Live in 2020, where he had a lot of praise for Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Shane Warne is arguably one of the greatest players to ever play the game. He was the first bowler in the world to claim 700 test wickets. He ended his career with 708 test wickets, whereas he has 293 ODI wickets under his belt. Warne also bowled the “Ball of the Century” in the 1993 Ashes.

Apart from his on-field records, Warne has had a lot of controversies throughout his career. He failed the drug test ahead of the 2003 World Cup. Warne even passed on the critical information to a bookmaker about the game. He has also been in a rift with Muttiah Muralitharan, Arjuna Ranatunga and Steve Waugh.  Despite all the off-field controversies, Warne is hugely admired in the cricketing circuit.

Anil Kumble on Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan

Instagram Live was a thing in the 2020 Covid Lockdown and Anil Kumble was once live with Pommy Mbangwa. He said that he feel special to finish behind Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan. He also added that Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan were in a different zone.

“It feels really wonderful to finish with these many wickets. I never bothered about statistics or what my average should be, I wanted to bowl the whole day and be the one to take wickets,” Kumble said.

“To finish as the third-highest wicket-taker in Tests alongside Murali and Warne is very special. All three of us played in the same era, there were a lot of comparisons, I do not know why people compared me with Warne. Warne was someone really different and he was on a different plane.”

Anil Kumble later added that he learned a lot by watching both of them bowl. He said that both of them could spin the ball on both surfaces.

“These two guys could spin the ball on any surface so it became really difficult for me when they started comparing me with Warne and Murali. I learnt a lot by watching them both bowl,” Kumble added.

Anil Kumble is amongst one of the three bowlers to take ten wickets in an innings. He finished with 619 wickets just behind Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.