Shane Warne was more than just a leg spinner: Greg Chappell

Former Australia cricketer Greg Chappell believes Shane Warne's identity in the cricketing world was more than just being a great leg-spinner.

He added that Warne's success on the field became a catalyst for many youngsters to become leg-spinners in cricket.

A shocked cricketing world has been giving rich tributes to Warne, who suddenly died on Friday at Koh Samui Island in Thailand of a suspected heart attack.

"Shane was more than just a leg spinner. He was an entertainer with enormous charisma who attracted attention wherever he went. His success generated millions of viewers to the game and brought the art of leg spin to life.

"It also spawned a new generation of leg spinners who tried to walk up to the crease and let it rip! What they didn't have was Shane's brute strength and native cunning, so very few have reached great heights," wrote Chappell in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday.

Chappell, whose cricketing days for Australia were over before Warne entered the scene, described how the experience of seeing the legendary leg-spinner in action was like.