“If I can help that friendship, the relationship between both countries and make a difference and help, then I'm putting my hand up to do that.” -Photo by AFP

MELBOURNE Cricket great Shane Warne has been recruited to try and help soothe tensions between Australia and India over a series of violent attacks on Indian students in his home city.

The retired legspinner will meet with Victoria state government leaders to discuss ways he can use his enormous popularity in both India and Australia to repair strained relations.

“I believe I can make a difference, and that's important,” Warne told reporters Monday in his home town of Melbourne.

“If I can help that friendship, the relationship between both countries and make a difference and help, then I'm putting my hand up to do that.”

A string of attacks on Indian nationals living in Australia since last year triggered protests by Indian students in Australia and generated heavy media coverage in India, including claims that the attacks are race-based.

Australian officials have condemned the attacks — most of them in the southern city of Melbourne — and maintain that Australia is generally not a racist nation. Police investigating the attacks have said claims they are race-based are premature.

The issue has reached government level, with Australian ministers traveling to India to try to ease negative public perceptions, and with New Delhi asking Canberra to take immediate steps to curb violence against its citizens.

Warne was the leading wicket-taker in test cricket when he retired in 2007 and is currently contracted as captain coach of the Jaipure-based Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament.

Warne said he does not consider racism to be widespread in Australia, and that he would be willing to travel to India to try to help repair the rift between the two nations.

“Both people are passionate about cricket, both people are passionate about sport,” Warne said.

“Melbourne is a wonderful place to live. This has to stop, it is not right, what is happening.”

Details of Warne's meeting early next month with government officials were not immediately given, but Victoria state Premier John Brumby said the cricketer's involvement was a positive development.

“The Indian public love cricket, they love him and I think the more we can build on that, the better it will be for our relationship,” Brumby told reporters.

Gautam Gupta, a spokesman for the Federation of Indian Students of Australia that has led demands for more action to protect Indian nationals in Australia, welcomed Warne's involvement.

“I think it is high time that people like Shane Warne, who are icons in both India and Australia stand up and really defend the relationship,” Gupta told television's Ten Network.