Pakistan's Yasir Shah is the world's best leg-spinner, says Shane Warne

Shane Warne regards Pakistan’s Yasir Shah as the best leg-spinner in world cricket.

Shah, who took eight wickets in the second Test against England, is a relative newcomer to the long form of the game having played in only 11 Tests despite being 29 years old. But in those 11 Tests since his debut against Australia 12 months ago, Shah has taken 69 wickets at an average of 24.55.

Warne, who is working with Shah ahead of the third Test - beginning this Sunday at Sharjah - admits he is very impressed with the variety he possesses.

"I have always been a fan of Shah since the first time I saw him a while ago - probably the best leg-spinner in the world, the way the ball comes out of his hand," he said.

"It was a fantastic opportunity to work with Yasir. He is a wonderful bowler, beautiful, so we just worked on thinking who he has been having troubles with in the England side, some tactics and plans.

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"He wants a bit more drift and bounce and little things that can help. I hope by the end of the series he will be bowling beautifully with a huge smile on his face."

"He has got all the toys," Warne added.

"He has got a good wrong 'un [googly], he has got a good straighter one, he has got a ripping leg-break. I haven't seen too many leg-breaks like that in all my years."

Despite his relative late arrival to the Test scene, Warne believes Shah could potentially exceed his own tally of 708 Test wickets - second in history to Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.

"I hope he smashes my records," Warne said.

"I hope people just enjoy watching Yasir Shah bowl so if he goes on to take 700 wickets it will be fantastic.

"He has a good 10 years in him and with the amount of Test cricket you play these days, he can take some 600 wickets or maybe even more. Test match cricket is what all we love and spinners can excel in this format"

Warne admitted he would also relish the opportunity to work with England's Adil Rashid, though concedes it is unlikely to happen ahead of the third Test.

"I think it will be great if Yasir and Rashid are right up there in the rankings, that would put a big smile on my face," he said.

"I am not sure if I will be joining the England team tomorrow," he said. "Because of my work with Pakistan, if they don't want to then that's fine but I am happy to work with Rashid. No problem at all."