Mahipal Lomror pays his tribute to Shane Warne

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) all-rounder Mahipal Lomror considers himself among the many lives that the late Shane Warne touched and enhanced.

Lomror was just 18 when he joined the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2018 after a two-year match-less stint at Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). A 2016 U-19 World Cup star who could hit spin long and was economical with his crafty left-arm spin, Lomror was simply a raw talent who needed a careful eye to be judged and molded.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Lomror recalled how Warne, a Royals legend and then-team mentor, became that special counselor for him. He said the Australian great trusted him before anyone else and requested the team management to give him some matches even when he wasn't 100 percent fit.

Lomror called Warne an "extraordinary personality" who never let anyone around him doubt themselves, explaining how even a two-minute conversation with him was an instant mood-lifter. He said:

"He played a major role in my IPL debut. He was our mentor with us at that time. I had an injury on my finger at that time too and when I got fit, he straightaway requested the management saying, 'If he can bowl 2-3 overs, play him the match'. He had that trust in me and gave me that opportunity when I was just 16-17 years old. He had an extraordinary personality. When he was around, you could never feel low on confidence. He had a different way of talking. Whenever you were in a bit of self-doubt or lacked confidence, if you talked to him for two minutes he would make you feel like there's no better player than you. I liked that thing about him so much."

Considered the greatest leg-spinner to ever play the game, Warne sadly passed away on March 4 at the age of 52, due to natural causes, leaving behind a legacy of 1001 wickets in international cricket. A true fighter on the field and a colorful character off it, he led an underdog Royals side to the inaugural IPL title in 2008.

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The franchise, which reached its first final since that year in IPL 2022, celebrated Warne's life in multiple ways throughout the season. After retiring the '23' jersey, the players donned ‘SW23' on their shirts against the Mumbai Indians (MI), while also observing a few moments of silence before the match.

"Cricket is only a part of life, not life itself" - Mahipal Lomror remembers Shane Warne's mantra

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Lomror also divulged into some of the conversations he had with Warne, revealing his inspiring mantras on managing cricket with life, professionalism, and dealing with failure.

The youngster added that Warne made players feel safe and secure and that the statements only had value because the Australian told them. Lomror explained:

"I learned a lot from him. There were some small tactical inputs that he gave. Personality-wise, as they say, Raja aadmi tha (He was a true King). The things he used to tell you, if you hear it from someone else then there's a high chance you won't understand them. The way he used to explain things, back players, and push them towards success [was unparalled]. One thing he used to say always was 'Cricket is only a part of life, not life itself'. [He used to say,] "You are a professional cricketer, see it professionally. Don't take the ups and downs to heart but see it professionally and try and work on the shortcomings. If you keep trying, things will happen. You shouldn't be scared of failure or being short of runs or wickets."

He added:

"His words had a different impact on the players. Whenever he was around, you used to feel you are in very secure hands and that 'This man would never let me fail'. Those are the things and then, as I said, he was the one who pushed for my debut, told the management "He's ready". He's had a massive impact on my life."

Lomror played just two games in 2018 and despite playing some brilliant knocks, didn't get much game time until 2021. He was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2022 and after a fruitful season, which included two crucial match-winning cameos, he is close to becoming a regular member of the side.

Mahipal Lomror is exclusively represented by FairPlay Sports, a sports marketing agency with offices in Delhi, Noida, Bangalore, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Jamshedpur.