MUMBAI, Oct 23: Forget about his past in India. Forget about his past elsewhere. And forget about avalanche of wickets India's spinners are taking. Shane Warne, according to acting Australian cricket captain Adam Gilchrist, is fulfilling his redefined role in India to great effect.

Gilchrist believes Warne showed during drawn second Test in Chennai that he will be a key ingredient if Australia are to achieve their first series win here since 1969.

While 35-year-old has not appeared likely to rip through Indian side like he has others, his return in second Test showed he should be a crucial weapon in battles to wear down Sourav Ganguly's men.

Warne turned in his best performance against world's best players of spin, taking 6-125 from 42.5 overs, during which he became Test cricket's leading wicket taker, with 537 scalps to Muttiah Muralitharan's 532.

While his Chennai haul was accumulated over more than a day, statistically his two Tests this time have been far better than his previous efforts in India.

On this tour, he is Australia's leading wicket taker with 10 of India's 30 wickets to have fallen, at 31 runs apiece and a rate of One every 61 balls.

He has at times been needed to try to build pressure by Restricting runs while Australia's pacemen have been more attacking at other end. It is a role he has taken time to get used to.

At other times it has simply been best option, since he has bowled for stretches where Indians have been comfortable against him.

His wrong 'un and flipper have been almost entirely absent but, as was shown in Chennai, his ability to take wickets through perseverance remains important.

Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, who have had one more innings of bowling than Warne, have reaped 34 of Australia's 40 wickets, at a combined average of 24 runs each and a victim every 48 balls, but Gilchrist says Warne should not be compared to those spinners, since they are India's main strike bowlers.

"Warne's inevitably going to be compared with his history here, and it's inevitable he's going to be compared with their spin bowlers' results. They are totally different types of bowlers doing totally different roles in their teams," he said.

"For what Warne's role is in our team, I was thrilled with way he went. He is learning as he goes, which is amazing for world record holder.

"He's taking things in from various players, and batsmen .. I've been impressed with that perspective of Warne's game. He's still trying to better himself."-PPI