New Delhi: Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar said he was "shocked and stunned" following the demise of former Australian leg spinner Shane Warne.
Sachin, whose rivalry with Warne was a mouthwatering proposition for viewers, said he would always treasure "our on field duels and off field banter".
"Shocked, stunned and miserable...Will miss you Warnie. There was never a dull moment with you around, on or off the field. Will always treasure our on field duels & off field banter. You always had a special place for India & Indians had a special place for you. Gone too young!" Sachin Tendulkar tweeted.
Sachin and Warne have been part of several cricketing duels throughout their careers -- from Sydney in January 1992, when Warne made his Test debut in the third match of the series in which Tendulkar smashed an unbeaten 148, to the "Desert Storm" match in Sharjah in 1998.
Shane Warne passed away in Koh Samui, Thailand, due to a suspected heart attack, according to Fox Cricket. He was 52. In a statement, Shane Warne's management said, "Shane was found unresponsive in his villa and despite the best efforts of medical staff, he could not be revived."
Warne, affectionately called 'Warnie', had a stellar international career, spanning across 15 years. Warne scalped 708 Test wickets -- the most ever by an Australian, and the second-most of all time behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.
Considered as one of the all-time greats of the game who redefined spin bowling, Warne also took 293 One-Day International wickets and was also named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Century.
In total, Warne, a massive turner of the ball, took 1,001 wickets and was the first-ever bowler to scale the peak of 1,000 international wickets.
In 2013, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Warne helped Australia win the World Cup in 1999 and took more wickets than any other bowler in Ashes cricket, the tally standing at 195.