Early international career (1992–1995) Warne made his international debut on 2 January 1992 in the third Test match between Australia and
India.
Peter Taylor, the incumbent spinner in the
Australian Test team, had taken only one wicket in the first two Tests, so Warne was brought into the team for the match at the
Sydney Cricket Ground. Warne had played seven
first-class matches before making his Test debut for Australia. He took 1/150 (
Ravi Shastri caught by
Dean Jones for 206) off 45
overs. Warne took 0/78 in the fourth Test in
Adelaide, recording overall figures of 1/228 for the series, and was dropped for the fifth Test on the pace-friendly
WACA Ground in
Perth. Australia
toured Sri Lanka in mid-1992. Warne's poor form continued in the first
innings against
Sri Lanka at
Colombo, in which he recorded 0/107. On 22 August 1992, however, Warne took the last three Sri Lankan wickets without conceding a run in the second innings, leading to a second-innings collapse and contributing to a 16-run Australian win. Sri Lankan captain
Arjuna Ranatunga commented in an interview; "a bowler with Test average of more than 300 came and snatched the victory from our hands". Despite his match-winning spell, Warne was left out of the second Sri Lanka Test before taking 0/40 in the third-and-final Test of the series. Warne was again left out of the
First Test against the West Indies in the 1992–93 Australian season.
Greg Matthews played in Warne's place; despite Australia being in a strong position on the final day, they could not dismiss the West Indies on a turning surface. Warne was recalled for the Second Test in Melbourne, a
Boxing Day Test in which he took 7/52 in a match-winning performance in the second innings. In February and March 1993, Warne took 17 wickets at an average of 15.05 in
Australia's tour of New Zealand, tying
Danny Morrison as the top wicket-taker for the series. On 24 March, Warne made his One Day International debut at
Wellington, taking two wickets. In 1993, Warne was selected for Australia's
Ashes tour of England. His first ball of the series, at
Old Trafford, was called the "
Ball of the Century". Warne bowled experienced English batsman
Mike Gatting, with a ball that drifted through the air and then turned from well outside leg stump to clip the off bail. Warne claimed 34 wickets in his first Ashes series, leading all bowlers, at an average of 25.79. Australia won the six Test series 4–1. When
New Zealand toured Australia for three Tests in November and December, Warne took 18 wickets and was named Player of the Series as Australia won the three Test series 2–0. Warne took 72 Test wickets in 1993, a then-record for a spin bowler in a calendar year. In the second Test of South Africa's tour at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Warne took ten wickets in a Test for the first time in his career. His 7/56 in the first innings and 5/72 in the second was not enough to secure victory for Australia; on the Test's final day, Warne was part of an Australian
batting collapse and South Africa won the Test. Both of the three Test series were drawn 1–1. Warne was named one of the
Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 1994 ''
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack''. Warne joined the
Australian tour of Pakistan in September and October 1994, where Pakistan defeated Australia 1–0 in the three Test series. Warne collected 18 wickets at an average of 28.00 to lead all bowlers for the tour. The tour became controversial, however, when it emerged in early 1995 that the Pakistani captain,
Saleem Malik, had approached Warne,
Mark Waugh and
Tim May to throw the game during the First Test. Malik was alleged to have offered Warne and May US$200,000 each to avoid taking wickets. The Australians did not accept the bribe, however Pakistan would narrowly win the game anyway, as
Ian Healy missed a stumping down the leg side. before taking 27 wickets in the five-Test series. In the Second Test, a Boxing Day Test at
Melbourne Cricket Ground, he took his first and only Test
hat-trick, dismissing
tail-enders
Phil DeFreitas,
Darren Gough and
Devon Malcolm in successive balls, the last of which was caught by
David Boon. Warne also took his 150th Test wicket, a caught-and-bowled off
Alec Stewart. In the Third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, he and fellow tail-ender
Tim May survived the final 19 overs in fading light on the fifth day to secure a draw and a 2–0 series lead, that meant Australia would take an unassailable lead in the series.
West Indies tour, Cricket World Cup and injury (1995–1999) Later in 1995, Warne
toured the West Indies, taking 15 wickets in four Tests as Australia defeated the West Indies in a Test series for the first time in almost 20 years. Without
Damien Fleming and
Craig McDermott, Warne partnered with an inexperienced
Glenn McGrath,
Paul Reiffel and
Brendon Julian. In a series dominated by the ball, the Windies did not pass 300 runs in any innings. In the Australian summer of 1995–96, Australia played home series
against Pakistan and
Sri Lanka. Warne took 11 wickets in the first Test against Pakistan but broke his toe in the second. Selectors included him in the squad for the third Test days later to give him the chance to prove his fitness. Warne took four wickets in Pakistan's first innings and another four in their second, and was named the player of the series. Warne took 12 wickets against Sri Lanka across the three Tests. Australia won both series. Warne was a key member of Australia's squad for the
1996 Cricket World Cup, which was held in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Warne took 12 wickets, including a man of the match 4/36 in the semi-final against the West Indies, and Australia qualified for the final. Warne conceded 58 runs for no wickets in the final as Australia lost the match to first-time champions
Sri Lanka. The
West Indies toured Australia for a five-Test series in the southern summer of 1996–97, which Australia won 3–2. Warne took 22 wickets in the series. In the One Day series, Warne collected his only ODI
five-for, against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground, cleaning up the middle-order and tail to finish with 5/33. Warne took 11 wickets in Australia's three Test
tour of South Africa in early 1997 as Australia won 2–1. In the northern summer of 1997, Warne returned to England with the Australian team to play for the
Ashes. After struggling for form early in the tour, he turned in his best results for the series in the Third Test at
Old Trafford where he would bag nine wickets. In the Fifth Test at
Trent Bridge, Warne claimed seven wickets as Australia clinched the Ashes. Warne took 24 wickets through the series at an average of 24.04 and finished second to paceman Glenn McGrath in the wicket-taking. Australia won the six Test series 3–2. In the Australian summer of 1997–98, Warne took 19 wickets in
New Zealand's three-Test series in Australia and 20 wickets in three Tests
against South Africa, In late 1997, Australian media criticised Warne for his weight; however,
The Australian wrote he was one of Australia's three most-influential cricketers, the others being
Donald Bradman and Lillee. In early 1998, Warne was a member of
Australia's touring squad of India. Finding Indian food not to his liking, he had tinned spaghetti and baked beans flown in from Australia. Australia's two top pace bowlers
Glenn McGrath and
Jason Gillespie missed the tour due to injury, leaving Warne to bowl more overs than usual. He took 10 wickets but conceded 54 runs each, going for 0/147 in India's only innings of the second Test at
Eden Gardens, Calcutta. Warne's dismissal of
Rahul Dravid in the first innings of the final Test at
Bangalore took him past
Lance Gibbs' tally of 309 wickets, making Warne the most-successful
spin bowler in Test Cricket. Australia lost the series, breaking a run of nine Test series wins. Warne did not play international cricket in the later part of 1998, requiring shoulder reconstruction surgery. In early December 1998, the
Australian Cricket Board announced that three years earlier it had fined Warne and
Mark Waugh for accepting money from a bookmaker for information about pitch and weather conditions during a 1994 ODI tour of Sri Lanka, in the
'John the bookmaker' controversy. Warne missed Australia's tour of Pakistan and the first four Ashes Tests. During Warne's extended absence from the Australian team, his understudy
Stuart MacGill played in his place, taking 15 wickets in three Tests against Pakistan and another series-high 27 wickets against England. Warne returned to international cricket in the fifth Test of the
Ashes series in Australia in January 1999. Upon Warne's return, he and MacGill bowled in tandem to the team for the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where MacGill took twelve wickets and Warne two.
Vice-captaincy of Australia (1999–2000) The
1998–99 Ashes series was the last series for Australian captain
Mark Taylor, who retired.
Steve Waugh was appointed as Taylor's replacement while Warne was promoted to vice-captain. In early 1999, Warne took two wickets in the first three Tests of the
series against the West Indies, leading to calls for his removal from the team from Australian media. Warne had struggled for form since returning from his shoulder injury, and Stuart MacGill had outperformed him so far in the series. For the final Test, Warne was replaced by off-spinner
Colin Miller, who with MacGill took eight wickets between them and Australia won the Test to retain the
Frank Worrell Trophy. The selection decision was poorly received by Warne, and permanently strained his relationship with Waugh, nevertheless, Warne and Waugh were able to combine effectively for Australia for the remainder of their careers together. Warne's form recovered in the
One Day International series against the West Indies, taking 13 wickets across seven matches. Warne was selected to play in the
1999 World Cup in the United Kingdom. Just before the start of the 1999 World Cup, the
International Cricket Council (ICC) fined Warne and gave him a two-match suspended ban after being quoted in the media speaking about Sri Lankan captain
Arjuna Ranatunga, saying; "There is plenty of animosity between Arjuna and myself. I don't like him and I'm not in a club of one." Australia were attempting to win their first Cricket World Cup since
1987. Warne took 12 wickets in the group and Super Six phases of the tournament. Prior to Australia batting against South Africa in the Super Six phase, Warne addressed the team suggesting that after a catch,
Herschelle Gibbs tended to throw the ball in celebration before controlling it and that batsmen should wait for the umpire to formally dismiss them. Gibbs dropped Steve Waugh in this fashion while the latter was on 56, and Waugh went on to score 120 not out to win the game for Australia. Australia qualified for a
semi-final against South Africa at Edgbaston. The semi-final match became notable for the dramatic fashion in which it finished; with the match ending in a tie, and Australia advanced to the final on a countback. Warne dismissed key South African batsmen Gibbs,
Gary Kirsten,
Hansie Cronje and
Jacques Kallis to finish with 4/29 for which he was named man of the match. Australia faced Pakistan in the
tournament's final. Pakistan batted first and were all out for 132, as Warne took 4/33 and was named the man of the match. Australia comfortably reached the target to win the World Cup. Warne finished the World Cup with 20 wickets and was the tournament's joint-top wicket-taker alongside
Geoff Allott. Later in 1999, Warne was retained as Australia's vice-captain for Australia's
tour of Sri Lanka, where he took eight wickets across three Tests, as Australia were defeated 1–0. The Australians
toured Zimbabwe, where Warne took six wickets, as Australia won the only Test. The following Australian summer, Warne played in all Tests of the series
against Pakistan and
India. He reached his highest score with the bat in the first Test against Pakistan in Brisbane, with 86. Warne's eight wickets in the Second Test at
Hobart were overshadowed by the
Joe the Cameraman controversy, in which an off-field microphone picked up a jibe about Australian bowler
Scott Muller during the match, which some incorrectly attributed to Warne. Warne again made 86 in the first Test against India in Adelaide the following month. Warne took 18 wickets over the six summer Tests and Australia won both series 3–0 to complete a perfect Test summer. In the first Test of the series at
Eden Park,
Auckland, Warne surpassed Dennis Lillee's 355 wickets as Australia's leading-ever wicket-taker. In 2000, Warne joined English county team
Hampshire, for which he played during the year's northern summer. During the county season, reports Warne had repeatedly sent lewd SMS messages to an English nurse emerged. In August 2000, the ACB removed him as Australia's vice-captain, citing his history of off-field indiscretions. The board's decision was contrary to the wishes of the team's selectors, including captain
Steve Waugh. Warne was replaced as vice-captain by
Adam Gilchrist. That year, however, the ACB awarded Warne the Men's ODI Player of the Year at the
Allan Border Medal ceremony.
Wickets and injuries (2001–2003) Warne missed the entire Australian summer of 2000–01 with a finger injury; he battled
Stuart MacGill and an in-form
Colin Miller to be selected for Australia's
tour of India in early 2001. MacGill was ultimately left out of the squad. Warne took 10 wickets over the three-Test series at an average of 50.50; his Indian spin counterpart
Harbhajan Singh was the man of the series after taking 32 wickets at an average of 17.03. Australia lost the series 2–1. In the English summer, Warne was selected for the
2001 Ashes, and took 31 wickets at 18.70 in the
five-Test series, which Australia won 4–1. Warne again finished second to Glenn McGrath in the wickets, McGrath taking one more than Warne. He took three five-wicket hauls in the series and collected eight wickets in each of the First and Third Tests at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge respectively. Warne became the sixth person and the first Australian in the history of cricket to reach 400 wickets. In the 2001–02 Australian summer, Australia played home series
against New Zealand and
against South Africa. Warne took six wickets in three Tests against New Zealand, and in the third Test in Perth made his career's highest batting score in international cricket. He was caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of
Daniel Vettori, which later revealed to be a
no-ball while on 99 runs—one run short of a maiden Test century. All three Tests ended as draws. He took 17 wickets in the three Tests against South Africa, more than any other player, including 5/113 in the first innings of the first Test. Warne, with 20 dismissals, was again the leading wicket-taker when Australia played a three-Test series in South Africa in February and March 2002. In February 2002,
Ricky Ponting replaced
Steve Waugh as captain of Australia's ODI squad. The promotion of Ponting, who was five years younger than Warne, appeared to end any prospect of Warne ever being appointed to the captaincy of Australia. In October 2002, Australia played a
three-Test series against Pakistan in neutral states Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. Warne took 27 wickets, was named the Man of the Match in the First Test with 11 wickets, and again in the Third Test with eight wickets. He was also selected as the Player of the Series. He returned to Australia for the
2002–03 Ashes series against England, starting in November 2002. In the first Test, he scored 57 with the bat and took 14 wickets in the first three Tests of the series but suffered a shoulder injury in an ODI in December 2002. Warne would not play another Test for Australia until March 2004.
Ban from cricket (2003) In February 2003, a day before the start of the
World Cup in Africa, Warne was sent home after a
drug test during a
one-day series in Australia returned a positive result for a banned
diuretic. Warne said he took only one of what he called a "fluid tablet", the prescription drug
Moduretic, which his mother had given him to improve his appearance. A committee established by the ACB found Warne guilty of breaching the board's drug code and imposed a one-year ban from organised cricket. After having announced he would retire from ODIs after the 2003 World Cup, Warne took the view the ban would lengthen his Test-playing career, although it led him to briefly reconsider his decision to retire from ODIs. Warne was allowed to play in charity matches while serving his one-year ban, a decision that was criticised by the
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which Warne criticised for interfering in the matter. During his suspension, Australia's main free-to-air cricket broadcaster
Nine Network hired Warne as a
television commentator. During mid-2003, Warne worked for the
St Kilda Football Club, an
Australian rules football club, in an unpaid consultancy role after the
Australian Football League banned him from holding an official club position because of his drugs ban.
Return to cricket and beyond 600 Test wickets (2004–2006) Warne returned to competitive cricket following his ban in February 2004. In March, in the first Test of a
three-Test series against Sri Lanka in
Galle, he became the second cricketer after
Courtney Walsh to take 500 Test wickets. Warne took five wickets in each innings of the first and second Tests, and a further six wickets in the third Test, and was named the player of the series. In 2004
Sri Lanka toured Australia for a mid-year return series in Darwin and Cairns. Warne took 10 wickets at 28 runs in the series. On 15 October 2004, during the second Test of
Australia's series against India at
Chennai, he broke the record for
most career wickets in Test cricket. Warne's dismissal of
Irfan Pathan, who was caught at slip by
Matthew Hayden, saw him overtake his Sri Lankan rival
Muttiah Muralidaran with 533 wickets. Muralidaran, who was injured at the time, had taken the record from Courtney Walsh five months earlier. Australia won the series 2–1; it was Australia's first series win in India since 1969. Warne's 14 wickets at an average of 30.07 was an improvement on his previous performances in India, when in six Tests he took 20 wickets at an average of 52 runs each. For his performances in 2004, the ICC named him in the World Test XI. Warne took 11 wickets at 23.27 against the
touring New Zealanders to start the 2004–05 home summer as Australia won the two-Test series 2–0. Warne led the wicket-taking of both teams, ahead of
Daniel Vettori.
Pakistan then toured, and Warne took 14 wickets at 28.71 as Australia completed a 3–0 sweep. Australia then embarked on a
return tour of New Zealand where they won the three-Test series 2–0. Warne bowled his way to 17 wickets through the series at an average of 22 runs per wicket. Warne started the
2005 Ashes with six wickets at
Lord's, with Australia taking a 1–0 lead after defeating England by 239 runs. Warne claimed 10 wickets in the Second Test at
Edgbaston, including six in the second innings. He also contributed 42 runs in the second innings, as Australia were defeated by just two runs. In his second innings performance, Warne delivered one of his sharpest spinning deliveries to
Andrew Strauss, which deviated from approximately 60 centimetres outside Strauss' off stump to bowl the left-hander's middle and leg stumps behind his legs. On 11 August 2005 in the Third Ashes Test at
Old Trafford, Warne became the first bowler in history to take 600 Test wickets. In the same Test, Warne made 90 first innings runs, helping Australia avoid the follow-on and eventually draw the match. Warne again contributed with both bat and ball in the Fourth Test at
Trent Bridge, taking eight wickets and scoring 45 runs in Australia's second innings, at faster than a run per ball. Warne's efforts in Nottingham came close to bowling Australia to a memorable victory after following-on, however England emerged victorious by three wickets to take a lead for the first time in the series. In the Fifth and Final Test at
The Oval, Warne took six wickets in each innings and 12 for the match. Warne also dropped a straightforward slips chance off
Kevin Pietersen while he was on 15, with the English batsman going on to make 158 and England holding on to draw the match and win the series for the first time since
1986–87. Warne's ferocious competitiveness was a feature of the 2005 Ashes series in which he took 40 wickets at an average of 19.92 and scored 249 runs. Warne shared the Ashes Player of the Series honours with England's
Andrew Flintoff. During the 2005–06 Australian home summer, Warne bowled impressively against the touring
World XI, West Indies and South African teams. In the only Test against the World XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Warne took six wickets across both innings, being out-bowled by Stuart MacGill, who claimed nine. Australia won the Test by 210 runs.
Against the West Indies, Warne collected 16 wickets across three Tests, with a best innings performance of 6/80 at the
Adelaide Oval as the selectors partnered him again with fellow leg spinner, MacGill. Warne also performed strongly against the
touring South Africans, leading the Australian wicket-takers with 14 wickets at an average of 33.00. For his performances in 2005, the ICC named Warne in the World Test Team of the Year XI. In 2005, with 96 wickets, Warne broke the record for the number of wickets in a calendar year.
Later international career, 700th Test wicket and retirement (2006–2007) at
the Gabba in
Brisbane in 2006 Warne
toured South Africa with the Australian team for a three Test series in March–April 2006, collecting 15 wickets. Warne took his series-best figures of 6/86 in the second Test at
Durban, helping bowl Australia to victory by 112 runs and claiming Man of the Match honours. Following this, he joined the Australian team for a
two-Test series against Bangladesh, taking 11 wickets in the series, again paired with Stuart MacGill on spin-friendly pitches. Warne began the
2006–07 Ashes series with an indifferent Test performance in the first Test at Brisbane and a poor performance in the first innings of the second Test in Adelaide, where he took no wickets. However, his second-innings performance in Adelaide of 4/49 included bowling
Kevin Pietersen around his legs, and triggered England's fifth-day collapse and Australia's win, in a game that had appeared destined for a draw. Warne again bowled well in the third Test's second innings, and took the final wicket of
Monty Panesar as Australia regained the Ashes. On 21 December 2006, Warne announced he would retire at the end of the 2006–07 Ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In front of his home crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in his penultimate Test, he took his 700th Test wicket on 26 December 2006 by bowling English batsman
Andrew Strauss in his final international appearance at the venue. This was the first occasion a player had taken 700 Test wickets. The wicket was described as a "classic Warne dismissal", to which the crowd of 89,155 gave a standing ovation. Warne finished Boxing Day with 5/39, his final Test five-for. Warne's final Test was at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the same venue as where he had debuted for Australia 15 years earlier. Warne ended England's first innings by trapping Monty Panesar
leg before wicket for a
duck and took his 1,000th international wicket. Warne also made 71 runs in his final innings. Warne's final Test wicket was that of England's all-rounder
Andrew Flintoff, who was stumped by
Adam Gilchrist. Warne is one of only two bowlers to have taken more than 1,000 wickets in international cricket, the other being
Muttiah Muralidaran. For his performances in 2006, the ICC and ESPNcricinfo named Warne in the World Test XI. Cricket Australia awarded Warne the 2006 Men's Test Player of the Year at the
Allan Border Medal ceremony. ==Twenty20 career (2008–2013)==