"There’s no polite way to spin this. Australian cricket needs a helping hand. Our stocks of quality front-line bowlers are low. We don’t have a spinner worthy of the title.

It’s time for SOS

"It’s time to send out an SOS to SKW. Shane Warne, it’s time you came out of retirement," the Daily Telegraph wrote in its petition, which was opened for signing, on Monday.

Australia is trailing 0-1 in the ongoing Test series against India after losing the second Test in Mohali by a massive 320 runs, one of its worst defeats in recent memory.

The Indian batsmen thrashed the Aussie attack, which has part-timers Cameron White and Michael Clarke as frontline spinners.

Can still give a lot

Even Warne was never much of a success on the Indian tracks but the newspaper, in its petition, said the talismanic bowler can still give a lot to the team as he showed by leading underdog Rajasthan Royals to the Indian Premier League Twenty20 title earlier this year.

"For one thing, he probably wouldn’t need much convincing. Earlier this year he led the Rajasthan Royals to victory in the Indian Premier League with a preparation that consisted of a week’s worth of bowling.

"Don’t forget his greatest-ever display — the Ashes tour of England in 2005 when he captured 40 wickets at 20 runs apiece — came during the public collapse of his marriage as the English tabloids massacred him each morning.