Cricket-Gavaskar shocked by Warne's death but says he was not greatest spinner

(Reuters) - India batting great Sunil Gavaskar has spoken at his shock at the death of Shane Warne but does not think the Australian tweaker was the greatest spinner of all time.

Speaking on a show on the India Today television channel, Gavaskar said Warne's death at the age of 52 on Friday due to a suspected heart attack in Koh Samui, Thailand had left him speechless.

Warne's death followed that of fellow Australian great, wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, at the age of 74.

"Within the space of 24 hours the cricket world has lost two giants of the game, not just Australian cricket but the cricket world. Rodney Marsh and then Shane Warne. This is unbelievable. Hard to come to grips with," Gavaskar said.

"Warne mastered a craft which is so difficult... wrist spin. To pick 700-plus wickets like he did in test cricket, hundreds more in one-day cricket tells you how good a bowler he was.

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