Richie Benaud cancer shock: Shane Warne, Ian Chappell speak of admiration for Aussie legend Australian cricket legend Richie Benaud has revealed he's undergoing radiation therapy as he battles skin cancer. (L-R) Mark Nicholas, Richie Benaud, Shane Warne and Ian Healy. Picture: Richard Dobson. SHANE Warne opened up on the influence that Richie Benaud has had on his life after the legendary commentator revealed he is battling skin cancer. Benaud used the launch of Channel Nine's summer of cricket to tell the Australian public that he's undergoing radiation therapy for cancers on his forehead and the top of his head. The 84-year-old is known as the voice of cricket in Australia, having headed up Nine's coverage of the sport for the best part of 40 years. Like Warne, Benaud was a world-class leg-spinner and it was through discussing that craft that the pair first bonded more than two decades ago. Richie Benaud and Shane Warne, pictured in 2009. "Richie has been fantastic ever since I started playing international cricket and when I was watching cricket before that," Warne said on Monday. "I probably first met him late "80s, so 25 years I've known Richie for now and he taught me a lot with my leg spin bowling. I'd ring him and say what do you see Rich, and we'd have a good chat about leg spin bowling and that was nice. And then with Channel Nine ... I've been with them since 1993 so it's always lovely to listen to Rich and pick his brain about stuff and he says let the pictures do the talking, sometimes I talk too much. But he taught me always don't say what the viewer can see, describe what's happening and why it's happening. Richie Benaud helped induct Shane Warne into Australian cricket's hall of fame. Warne was gushing in his praise of Benaud not just as a cricketing icon, but as a colleague and friend. "He's one of the great men, Richie, it's fantastic to see him here and he's the captain of the team and whatever Richie says goes," Warne said. He's the man. Richie, there's not enough wonderful things we can say about Rich, he's just a great man. What he's done for cricket, he is the voice of cricket, and has been for a long period of time. Not just here in Australia but in England as well. Richie Benaud is the face, and voice, of Channel Nine's cricket coverage. Him and Daphnee are wonderful people I've had dinner with them hundreds of times just talking about the game. He's a great friend and a great guy. Former Test captain and fellow Nine commentator Ian Chappell was equally effusive in his praise of Benaud, with the pair having worked together since the days of World Series Cricket. "He's been amazingly good to me for a long time," Chappell said. He's been a tremendous help to me with cricket, captaincy, with work and that's Richie. He's a nice guy. Benaud was in good humour at the SCG on Monday. Asked what role Benaud might play over the summer, Chappell admitted he was in the dark. "I've got no idea," Chappell said. But there's only one criteria as far as I'm concerned and that's what's best for Richie's health and we're going to hear Richie - he's done that voice over for the promo so we're going to be hearing him. But as long as he's around to ring him up and pick his brain occasionally that's good enough for me. Originally published as Warne praises Benaud after cancer shock