Melbourne: Indian wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has revealed that the death of Australian legend Shane Warne two years ago felt like the loss of a family member to him as he always believed that there was a strong connection between them.

Kuldeep, who is on a short family trip to Australia, visited the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the home ground of his idol where he posed for a photo in front of Warne’s statue outside the stadium.

“Shane Warne was my idol, and I had a very strong connection with him. I still get emotional when I think about Warnie — it feels like I’ve lost someone from my family,” Kuldeep said.

He, however, did not elaborate on his equation with the legend, who died of a cardiac arrest while on a holiday in Thailand in 2022.

The T20 World Cup-winning cricketer’s trip Down Under comes just a few months before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which is scheduled to begin on November 22 in Perth.

“I am looking forward to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and we’re anticipating a great cricket contest between Australia and India this year,” he said.

Kuldeep, who has had an excellent couple of years since making his comeback from the knee injury, also visited the Cricket Australia (CA) headquarters and had an online interaction with CA CEO Nick Hockley.

He also acknowledged the unwavering support of Indian cricket fans.

“India cricket fans always support the team around the globe, and I am confident they will come in big numbers for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, especially during the Boxing Day Test,” Kuldeep said.

The MCG will host the Boxing Day Test from December 26.