Shane Warne Says he Misses IPL, Hints at Return

Legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, who led Rajasthan Royals to victory in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League, could soon be part of the glitzy T20 tournament again. The former Royals skipper however, said he would be back only as a mentor and not a player.(IPL 2015: Full Coverage)

Four years after bidding goodbye to the IPL, Warne said he still missed the action in India. "I miss being part of the IPL. I had made some great friendships. The atmosphere was great and the Indian support was brilliant. It's an amazing tournament and it allows you to share knowledge with different players. Maybe I will be back with the Royals or somebody else in the future," Warne said on Sunday.

However, Warne, who retired from international cricket with 708 Test wickets and 293 ODI wickets, said he would not return as a player. "I am not sure about playing, maybe I could look at one of the mentoring roles."

Warne was an influential captain and was instrumental in leading an inexperienced side to glory in IPL 2008. The feisty spinner retired from the cash-rich league in 2011 with 69 wickets. While he was not always at his lethal best with the ball, Warne was brilliant as a tactician. He also had a special eye for talent and was among the first to see Ravindra Jadeja's worth. The Saurasthra all-rounder is now a regular in India's limited-overs sides.

Warne's former India rivals, Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble have been associated with Mumbai Indians as mentors since they called time on their IPL careers.