Shane Warne to be honored during Boxing Day Test; Free heart tests to be done at the stadium as part of the tribute

Shane Warne will be honored during the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan, starting at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26.

Fans at the stadium are encouraged to wear a floppy hat to honor the late Warne. The leg spinner was renowned for wearing the wide-brimmed floppy hat instead of the traditional baggy green.

Fans are also encouraged to tip their hat at 3.50 pm AEDT (10.20 am IST) as a nod to Warnie's Test cap number.

Cricket Australia (CA) and the Shane Warne Legacy (SWL) will also associate to provide free heart tests across the first four days of the Test. The former Australian spinner died of a heart attack while on holiday in Thailand in March 2022 at just 52.

Cricket Australia's chief executive Nick Hockley spoke about the initiative in a statement and said:

"We’re delighted to partner with the Shane Warne Legacy for an initiative that will significantly raise awareness about the importance of heart health. Shane is greatly missed here in Australia and around the world, and we are grateful to the Shane Warne Legacy and the Warne family in partnering with us to help make a positive difference in his honour."

Hockley added:

"I encourage everyone to come along to the NRMA Insurance Boxing Day Test and take part in the Shane Warne Legacy Heart Tests and to always seek the advice of your medical professional on this and other health issues."

Similarly, fans paid homage to Warne in last year's Boxing Day Test between South Africa and Australia by wearing a floppy hat.

While the match last year paused at 3.50 pm to honor Warne's Test cap number, the crowds this year will also be asked to tip their broad-brimmed headwear around the ground simultaneously at that time.

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"This partnership holds immense significance for us and the entire Warne family" - SWL chief

The Shane Warne Legacy (SWL) chief, Helen Nolan, expressed delight over their association with Cricket Australia for the noble cause of providing free heart tests, among others.

Provisioned by SiSU Health, testing at the ground will measure blood pressure, resting heart rate, and an estimate of heart age and diabetes risk.

"This partnership holds immense significance for us and the entire Warne family. It provides a special gathering place at the iconic MCG, allowing cricket enthusiasts and the broader public to come together and honour Shane during one of his favourite weeks of the year – on the grounds he often fondly referred to as his 'office’," said Helen Nolan.

"Through our partnership with Cricket Australia, we not only create a space to get a free ‘Shane Warne Legacy heart test’ but also offer the broader public an opportunity to come together, reflect on Shane's life, acknowledge the significance he held for each individual, and collectively pay respect to him," she added.

Warne remains the second leading wicket-taker in Test history with 708 scalps in 145 games, including 37 five-wicket hauls.

During his illustrious career, the leg-spinner also helped Australia win the 1999 ODI World Cup, with Player of the Match performances in the semi-final and final.