Greatest of all time

It must have been Circa 1998. Shane Warne had just had a major shoulder operation and people doubted whether he would ever be back at his best. He took 20 wickets in the World Cup next year, including back-to-back Man of the Match awards in the semis and finals.
Move ahead to 2003. Warne tested positive for a banned substance and was banned from cricket for a year. Everybody said his career was over, after all he was 33. He came back stronger and better (if that is possible) and went on to become the highest wicket-taker in Test history.
After retirement he joined the IPL. It's only for the money everyone said. He won't ever take it seriously. But the Rajasthan Royals counted on him. They made him captain and coach. And then, he first took 3 wickets against the Kings XI Punjab and followed it up with a mind blowing show of hitting under pressure against the Deccan Chargers.
In between, he captured the imaginations of millions of fans throughout the world (including myself) through his amazingly accurate and hard to pick bowling. He almost single handedly revived the dying art of leg spin bowling. No batsman ever felt comfortable facing him. In fact, I'm pretty sure England might have considered giving a national holiday the day he announced his retirement. Ditto for South Africa.
We all know he had his drawbacks, but that made him all the more human and all the more endearing to me. In fact, there's nothing that can end or even decrease my Warne obsession. Warne's poster still adorns the door of my wardrobe.
Yesterday's match against the Deccan Chargers proved an old adage all over again - never take it easy if you are up against Shane Warne. He may be bowling, batting or even fielding, it doesn't matter. It's just his presence that totally changes everyting. And also proved another old saying - Nothing is Impossible, especially for Shane Warne.
So move aside Pele, Maradona, Ali, Fangio, Bradman and Bubka. There's only one person who's the Greatest of all Time. It's the one your batting coach warned you about. Go Shane!