This day that year: Shane Warne arrives, gets set to change spin-bowling forever

Shane Warne is one of the best spinners to have represented Australia in world cricket. The former Australian leg-spinner has the second-highest number of Test scalps (708) after Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan (800). He has flummoxed the best batsmen in the business with his bag of tricks. 

Warne went on to become a spin legend as the years progressed. However, it was on this very day all those years ago that he had announced his arrival on the big stage.

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Shane Warne's international debut 

It was on January 2, 1992, that Shane Warne had made his international debut during the third of the five-match Test series which was played between India and Australia Down Under at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Aussies had already taken a 2-0 lead heading into that contest at SCG.

It seemed like the hosts were at an advantage as they had scored 313 after Mohammad Azharuddin had put them to bat. Nonetheless, the Australian bowlers including Warne himself could not get any assistance on a batting-friendly wicket as India scored 483 riding on Ravi Shastri's 206. 

Shane Warne did pick up the wicket of the double centurion Shastri but ended up giving away 150 runs. The match ended in a stalemate. The Aussies then went on to emerge victorious at Adelaide and Perth respectively as they won the Test series 4-0. 

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Shane Warne's illustrious cricketing career  

Even though Warne did not succeed in his very first game, it was just a sign of things to come. In fact, in the following year's Ashes series, the leggie had bowled that famous 'Ball Of The Century' that left England's Mike Gatting clueless. He got the top-class batsmen like Rahul Dravid, Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Saeed Anwar, etc. with his magical deliveries. 

If those were not enough, then the cricket fans might also be aware of an outstanding delivery that confused former English skipper Andrew Strauss and Warne was awarded his 700th Test scalp in Ashes 2007 which was also his final outing in international cricket. Strauss tried to defend a delivery that was bowled way outside off stump but to his dismay, the ball spun towards the leg side and the southpaw was castled. Take a look.

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