Sydney, Dec 28 : To avoid embarrassment of losing consecutive series against South Africa and England, a section of Australian media has favoured recall of spin legend Shane Warne.

The Sun-Herald, for the people, would like to present the case for Shane Warne returning to the Australian Test team.

It's a serious attempt to remind Warne that his word is his bond. Warne vowed to ride back on his white horse if Australia's spin-bowling stocks went up the chute after his retirement, the Sydney Morning Herald said.

Warne has been dropping hints all year. Test captain Ricky Ponting and Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland have declined to take him seriously. Warne has deserved better.

He is Australia's greatest cricketer since Don Bradman. When Bradman came out of his eight-year hiatus caused by World War II and boarded the RMS Strathaird for one last tour of England, the British Empire rejoiced. Test cricket was alive.

Warne keeps hinting at a similar revival but Sutherland has dismissed the mere suggestion as an attention-grabbing schoolboy prank.

"If Australia really needed me and there was no one else around, and Ricky thought I could do the job, you would weigh up the options," Warne said in May.

"If Stuey MacGill fell over and broke his leg, and there were no other spinners around, and Ricky came out and said, `Mate, can you please help us out for this one-off tour? We need you,' that is something I would weigh up."

Subsequent reports on Sky News said Sutherland had "laughed off" the remarks. "He has certainly given people something to write about, but he's good at that," Sutherland said.

"It's not for me to be talking to Shane in that sort of fashion. I think we should be focusing on the tremendous opportunity that Cameron White or Jason Krejza or Bryce McGain will have over the course of the summer."

Warne has 708 Test wickets. One of the finest performances by an Australian cricketer this year was Warne taking the Rajasthan Royals to the Indian Premier League title. (ANI)