Australia’s retiring spin legend Shane Warne on Thursday slammed the hefty fine handed to him during the IPL for a public spat with an official, saying he was paying the price for “telling the truth”.
Warne, captain of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, was Wednesday fined $50,000 for his part in a row with Sanjay Dixit, secretary of Rajasthan Cricket Association, over the choice of wicket for a home game. “Not saddened about what happened at all,” Warne told CNN-IBN news channel. “I got fined for telling the truth. The incident was silly, petty and a bit immature. I won’t let this spoil my IPL and the experience I’ve had.” The 41-year-old leg-spinner rowed with Dixit in front of the television cameras earlier this month over the selection of a new wicket for Rajasthan’s home games which offered less turn for the spinners. He is set to play his last game as a professional cricketer on Friday when Rajasthan take on Mumbai Indians in their final outing of this year’s Twenty20 competition.
Rajasthan, with seven defeats from 13 outings, are already out of contention for a place in the play-offs. Warne said he had no regrets about his bust-up with Dixit. “No regrets at all because you cannot change the past. I should have gifted Sanjay Dixit a pair of Spinners underwear,” he joked, referring to the brand of men’s underwear he endorses.
The Aussie star also said the IPL was not the same without Lalit Modi, the sacked former boss of the IPL who is under investigation for corruption. Dixit had earlier mocked the bowler in a column and also took aim at the controversial blond-haired star over his romance with British model Elizabeth Hurley. “He (Warne) caused quite a sensation with his long lip-lock in full public view at the time of presentation ceremony of a game which he won,” wrote the official. “I had to quieten things down to make sure that the matter did not reach the courts. Warne was admonished, I am given to understand, but it did not deter him much.”
