David Warner has revealed how a “gobsmacked” Australian team found out about Shane Warne‘s death while on tour in Pakistan.
Warner and the Australian team had just completed a gruelling first day of play in the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi when Warne’s manager James Erskine delivered the crushing news to the opener.
“I found out from James (Erskine) after everyone from his family was notified,” Warner told Fox Cricket.
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“Just before it got out we spoke to the guys and we were in the bus ready to come back to the hotel.
“Everyone was just absolutely gobsmacked. There was silence in the cars and we came back.
“It is just like anyone that you lose it is just like part of your family. You look at the tributes that are coming out around the world we raised a glass and shared some great memories and stories about Shane and what he did for cricket and world cricket in general.”
Like his captain Pat Cummins had immediately following Warne’s death, Warner too revealed how he’d idolised the spin legend while growing up.
“From my personal stories I had Warnie’s poster on my wall like every other young cricketing kid,” he said.
“I just grew up wanting to be like Shane. I started my journey bowling like him and batting in the middle order.
“Through (Under) 17s and 19s I tried to replicate everything that Warnie did with his action. I think everyone has seen my action alongside his. I just wanted to be like Shane from a bowling front.”
While Warne was often the Australian team’s harshest critic on the commentary, Warner revealed that players would often implement ideas he’d shared on various broadcasts from the day prior.
“I was in a privileged position of learning from Warnie being around the group and in the commentary box just the knowledge he had of the game,” Warner said.
“Nothing would be happening out in the middle and he would say a few things to a couple of us and we would implement that the next day or in the next game and things just panned out and worked.
“He just knew the game so well. He was loved by every single person in the world that knows the game of cricket and people that don’t know the game of cricket.
“I just can’t believe he is gone.”