DUBAI // Shane Warne wants to train alongside Yasir Shah and his Pakistan teammates ahead of the third Test in Sharjah.

The Australian great is idolised by Yasir, Pakistan’s leg-spinner who climbed to No 2 in the world rankings for Test bowlers after taking eight wickets against England in Dubai this week.

The pair met in Adelaide during the World Cup earlier this year, and Warne would be happy to share more of his expertise with Yasir, given the opportunity.

He flew in from Australia to the UAE this week to promote a golf tournament, before heading on to the United States for the new Twenty20 competition he and Sachin Tendulkar are promoting. He is keen to get in some overs of bowling practice ahead of that event while he is here.

England also have a leg-spinner, Adil Rashid, as part of their tour party here in the UAE. Warne wants to see Rashid succeed, in the same way he does Yasir, but acknowledged the idea of a training session with England is less likely.

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“If I could find some time this week, I would love to go down and have a bowl with [Yasir], because I am trying to prepare for the Cricket All Stars next week as well,” said Warne, who is due to fly out of the UAE on Friday.

“I am trying to get as much practice in as I can. I might not be that welcome down in the England camp, so I might have to try the Pakistan camp to have a bowl.

“I might get a bit competitive in the England nets, I might try to knock a few of them over.”

Having watched the start of the Dubai Test between Pakistan and England, while still in Australia, Warne has some pointers he thinks Yasir could benefit from.

“I think he is a wonderful bowler,” said Warne. “From what I have seen of this Test match, he has got all the toys, I just think he gets a little impatient.

“I think he just needs to slow down a little bit, take a breath, chill out, and set up a batsman a little more, rather than just go ripping leg-break, straight one, wrong ‘un. To me, he just needs to be a little more patient and toil away.”

Based on his own experience, Warne believes both spin bowlers will enjoy the conditions they are presented with in Sharjah, when the final Test starts on Sunday.

He took 16 wickets – at an average of 9.62 – in the two Test matches he played at the UAE’s oldest cricket ground, when Australia beat Pakistan in October 2002.

“Both of them have the grounding, have done their apprenticeship, but I think they are completely different bowlers,” Warne said.

“I think Yasir is a real hustle and bustle leg-spinner. To me, he is the best leg-spinner in international cricket at the moment. He is a wonderful bowler.

“Rashid will hopefully get better. He is not as fluent as a Yasir Shah, but that doesn’t mean he is not as effective. He can be just as effective.

“If Rashid gets his confidence up, I think he can be a real handful.”

pradley@thenational.ae

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