Warne calls time on playing career

Shane Warne strikes a familiar pose after taking a wicket for Rajasthan Royals last week, in one of the last games of his career

Australia spin legend and Rajasthan Royals captain and coach Shane Warne has announced he will retire from all cricket at the end of the current Indian Premier League.

With Rajasthan currently fourth in the points table and bidding to qualify for the knock-out stages, Warne insists his career as a professional cricketer will come to an end after this edition of the lucrative Twenty20 competition.

Warne, who made the announcement via Twitter, led Rajasthan to the title in the inaugural IPL in 2008, a year after his retirement from international cricket.

"This is my last year playing IPL,” he said. “To my team-mates can I say thanks for your support - you guys have made it fun and enjoyable to play.

"I will miss the IPL but it's been fun for the last four seasons. It's 100% my last four games of professional cricket, unless we make the finals - maybe I have five or six left.

"I want RR [Rajasthan Royals] to go out on a high. We must win at least two if not three of our last four."

On his future with the franchise, Warne added: "Re. next year, who knows what or if I will be involved in IPL re. mentor/coaching - I am focused on doing my best for RR this year."

Leg-spinner Warne took 708 wickets in 145 Tests, second only to Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800 in the history books, and 293 in one-day internationals. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest players of all time.

Warne retired from Test cricket after Australia’s Ashes triumph over England in early 2007, having called time on his one-day international career four years earlier.