BGT 2024-25: Boxing day turns emotional as fans honor Shane Warne at MCG
Xtra Time Web Desk: The Melbourne Cricket Ground witnessed a heartfelt tribute to one of Australia’s greatest cricketers, Shane Warne, during the Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. An 83,000-strong crowd paid homage to the legendary leg-spinner, who passed away in March 2022.
Leading the tribute were Warne’s children, Jackson and Brooke Warne, who guided the crowd in doffing their caps—recreating Warne’s iconic Ashes celebration. Fans donned floppy hats, symbolizing Warne’s signature style, as they honored the Victorian cricketer’s illustrious career.
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Paying respect to the late great Shane Warne ❤️#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/omw10WUPw9
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2024
The tribute was held at 3:50 PM Melbourne time, marking Warne’s Test cap number—350. The MCG already immortalizes the spin wizard with a dedicated stand and statue, commemorating his legacy. Warne’s stellar career saw him claim 708 Test wickets and 1001 international scalps, etching his name among cricket’s all-time greats.
The Boxing Day Test at the MCG has become a tradition to honor Warne, who called this venue home. In 2022, during Australia’s Test against South Africa, players wore floppy hats to remember the spinner. The Great Southern Stand was also renamed in his honor. While the baggy green symbolizes Australian cricket, Warne’s floppy hat became an emblem of his free-spirited and maverick personality.
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Warne’s achievements at the MCG include 56 Test wickets, three five-wicket hauls, and a hat-trick during the 1994 Ashes. It was also here that he claimed his 700th Test wicket, bowling Andrew Strauss and sending the crowd into raptures.
Meanwhile, in the ongoing match, Australia’s top order dominated India’s bowling attack, with debutant Sam Konstas scoring a blistering half-century. However, quick strikes from Jasprit Bumrah, including the dismissal of Travis Head for a duck, have kept India in the contest as the day neared its end.
Warne’s memory lives on, both through his achievements and the countless lives he touched, as fans continue to celebrate his legacy at one of cricket’s most iconic venues.
