Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has apologised for his poorly-timed comments following Shane Warne‘s tragic death in Thailand.
Gavaskar was one of many legends of the game who was asked to pay tribute to the late Australian spin icon, but his answer to one particular question landed him in hot water.
The 72-year-old was on India Today, when he pushed back on a suggestion that Warne was the greatest spinner in the game’s history, suggesting he’d put the cricket’s all-time leading wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan over the Aussie.
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Gavaskar was criticised for the timing of his comments, which came just days after Warne’s sudden death, and apologised 24 hours later.
“Last week was a very traumatic time for cricket fraternity as in 24 hours, we lost two of the most iconic cricketers the game has seen – Rodney Marsh and Shane Warne,” he said.
“On TV, I was asked by an anchor whether Warne was the greatest spinner and I gave my honest opinion.
“In hindsight, that question should not have been asked nor should it have been answered as it was not the right time for any comparison or evaluation.
“Warne was one of the greatest players to ever grace the game. Rodney Marsh too was one of the greatest wicketkeepers the game has seen. May their souls rest in eternal peace.”