Sunil Gavaskar Expresses Regret Over Ill-Timed Comment On Shane Warne

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Monday expressed regret for refusing to call the late Shane Warne as the greatest of all time while discussing his legacy, saying it was not the right time for the comparisons he made. "In hindsight, that question should not have been asked and I should not have answered as it was not the right time for any comparison or evaluation," Gavaskar posted on Instagram reacting to criticism of his statement. "Warne was one of the greatest players to ever grace the game. Rodney Marsh was also one of the best wicketkeepers. May their souls rest in peace," he added.

Gavaskar said all he meant to do was give an honest opinion when the question was asked of him.

"On TV, I was asked by an anchor whether Warne was the greatest spinner and I gave my honest opinion," he said.

A post shared by Sunil Gavaskar (@gavaskarsunilofficial)

Gavaskar had earlier said that while Warne sent down "magic deliveries" and mastered a difficult craft during his career, he wasn't the greatest spinner of all time as his performance in India was "pretty ordinary", a view that was criticised as ill-timed in some sections of the media Down Under.

Warne, since making his debut in 1992, played 145 Tests for Australia, picking up 708 wickets with his leg-spin. In his 194 ODI appearances, he snared 293 scalps.

But when Gavaskar was asked if the Australian was the greatest spinner he has seen, the former India captain said he rated Indian spinners and former Sri Lanka bowler Muttiah Muralitharan higher than Warne.

"No, I wouldn't say that no. For me, the Indian spinners and Muttiah Muralitharan were certainly better than Shane Warne," Gavaskar said on 'India Today'.

"Because look at Shane Warne's record against India. It was