Shane Warne

2.1. Early Life and Youth

Shane Keith Warne was born in Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, on 13 September 1969. His parents were Brigitte (née Szczepiak), who was born in Germany to a German mother and a Polish father, and Keith Warne. He attended Hampton High School for grades 7-9 before receiving a sports scholarship to Mentone Grammar, where he completed his final three years of school.

Warne's early representative sporting experiences began in the 1983-84 season when he played for the University of Melbourne Cricket Club in the Victorian Cricket Association's under-16 Dowling Shield competition, bowling a mix of leg-spin and off-spin, and showing promise as a lower-order batsman. The following season, he joined St Kilda Cricket Club near his home suburb of Black Rock, progressing through its ranks to the first eleven over several seasons. During the cricket off-season in 1987, Warne played five games of Australian rules football for the St Kilda Football Club's under-19s team. In 1988, he played again for St Kilda's under-19 team before a single game in the reserves team, one step below professional level, and notably kicked 7 goals in a round 10 under-19s game against Hawthorn. After the 1988 Victorian Football League season, St Kilda delisted Warne, leading him to focus solely on cricket.

In 1989, Warne spent six months in Bristol, England, playing for the Imperial Cricket Club in the Western League, where he took 49 wickets at 15.22, living in the attic of the cricket club's pavilion. In 1990, he was selected to train at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide, but left due to disagreements with management regarding discipline. In 1991, Warne joined Accrington Cricket Club of the Lancashire League as their professional player. After an initial struggle, he had a good bowling season, taking 73 wickets at 15.4 runs each, but his batting average of 15 (329 runs) led the committee to not re-engage him for the 1992 season, as they expected professionals to contribute as both a batsman and bowler. Warne was recalled to the Australian Cricket Academy in 1992, where he refined his leg spin under former Australian Test spinner Terry Jenner, who is credited with harnessing Warne's raw talent and instilling a more professional approach.

Warne's early representative cricket for Australia included selection for the Australia B team's tour of Zimbabwe in September 1991, where he achieved his first first-class five-wicket haul, taking 7/49 in the second innings of a match at Harare Sports Club. Upon returning to Australia in December 1991, he took 3/14 and 4/42 for Australia A against a touring West Indian side.

2.2. Domestic Cricket

Warne made his first-class cricket debut on 15 February 1991, playing for Victoria against Western Australia at Junction Oval in Melbourne, where he took 0/61 and 1/41. He later captained Victoria during the 1999-00 and 2002-03 seasons. Over his domestic career, Warne made 76 appearances for Victoria, claiming 161 first-class wickets at 34.72 and 43 List A wickets at 27.93.

In England, Warne signed a contract to play for Hampshire County Cricket Club for the 2000 season, reportedly worth 400.00 K USD. He returned to Hampshire as captain for the seasons between 2004 and 2007, making a total of 139 appearances for the county. During his time at Hampshire, he scored his only two first-class centuries and took 276 wickets at an average of 25.58, along with 120 List A wickets at 19.72.

2.3. International Debut and Rise to Stardom (1992-1995)

Warne's Test debut came on 2 January 1992 in the third Test match between Australia and India. He was brought into the team after the incumbent spinner, Peter Taylor, struggled in the first two Tests. In his debut match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Warne bowled 45 overs to take 1/150, dismissing Ravi Shastri. He took 0/78 in the fourth Test in Adelaide, finishing the series with overall figures of 1/228, and was dropped for the fifth Test on the pace-friendly WACA Ground in Perth.

In mid-1992, Australia toured Sri Lanka. Warne's poor form continued with 0/107 in the first innings of the first Test at Colombo. However, on 22 August 1992, he took the last three Sri Lankan wickets without conceding a run in the second innings, triggering a collapse that led to a 16-run Australian victory. Despite this match-winning spell, Warne was omitted from the second Sri Lanka Test and took 0/40 in the third and final Test.

Warne was again left out of the First Test against the West Indies in the 1992-93 Australian season. He was recalled for the Second Test in Melbourne, a Boxing Day Test, where he delivered a match-winning performance of 7/52 in the second innings. In February and March 1993, Warne took 17 wickets at an average of 15.05 during Australia's tour of New Zealand, tying as the series' top wicket-taker. On 24 March, he made his One Day International (ODI) debut at Wellington, taking two wickets.

In 1993, Warne was selected for Australia's Ashes tour of England. His first ball of the series, delivered at Old Trafford, became famously known as the "Ball of the Century" after it drifted through the air and spun sharply from well outside the leg stump to clip the off bail, bowling the experienced English batsman, Mike Gatting. Warne claimed 34 wickets in his inaugural Ashes series at an average of 25.79, leading all bowlers as Australia won the six-Test series 4-1.

When New Zealand toured Australia in November and December 1993, Warne took 18 wickets and was named Player of the Series, contributing to Australia's 2-0 victory in the three-Test series. In 1993, he took 72 Test wickets, a then-record for a spin bowler in a calendar year, with almost all of these wickets coming from English and New Zealand batsmen.

Warne featured in South Africa's tour of Australia in 1993-94 and Australia's return tour in March 1994. In the second Test of South Africa's tour at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Warne achieved his first 10-wicket haul in a Test, with figures of 7/56 in the first innings and 5/72 in the second. Despite his efforts, Australia suffered a batting collapse, and South Africa won the Test. Both three-Test series were drawn 1-1. Warne was recognized for his outstanding performances by being named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 1994 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.

Warne participated in the Australian tour of Pakistan in September and October 1994, where Pakistan defeated Australia 1-0 in the three-Test series. Warne led all bowlers on the tour with 18 wickets at an average of 28.00. However, the tour became controversial in early 1995 when it was revealed that the Pakistani captain, Saleem Malik, had approached Warne, Mark Waugh, and Tim May to throw the game during the First Test. Malik allegedly offered Warne and May 200.00 K USD each to avoid taking wickets. The Australians refused the bribe, but Pakistan still narrowly won the game after Ian Healy missed a stumping chance.

Australia aimed to retain the Ashes when England toured for a five-Test series in 1994-95. Warne achieved his career-best bowling figures of 8/71 in the second innings of the first Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground (the Gabba) and took 27 wickets across the five-Test series. In the Second Test, a Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, he took his first and only Test hat-trick, dismissing tail-enders Phil DeFreitas, Darren Gough, and Devon Malcolm on successive balls. During this series, Warne also took his 150th Test wicket, a caught-and-bowled dismissal of Alec Stewart. In the Third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Warne and fellow tail-ender Tim May batted resiliently, surviving the final 19 overs in fading light on the fifth day to secure a draw, ensuring Australia an unassailable 2-0 series lead and retaining the Ashes.

2.4. World Cup Victory and Vice-Captaincy (1996-2000)

In 1995, Warne toured the West Indies, taking 15 wickets in four Tests as Australia defeated the West Indies in a Test series for the first time in almost 20 years. Playing without experienced fast bowlers like Damien Fleming and Craig McDermott, Warne formed a crucial partnership with the less experienced Glenn McGrath, Paul Reiffel, and Brendon Julian. In a series predominantly dominated by the ball, the West Indies failed to score over 300 runs in any innings.

During the Australian summer of 1995-96, Australia hosted series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Warne took 11 wickets in the first Test against Pakistan but suffered a broken toe in the second. Despite the injury, selectors included him in the squad for the third Test, where he took four wickets in each of Pakistan's innings and was named the Player of the Series. He then took 12 wickets against Sri Lanka across their three Tests. Australia won both series convincingly.

Warne was a key member of Australia's squad for the 1996 Cricket World Cup, held in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. He took 12 wickets throughout the tournament, including a Man of the Match performance of 4/36 in the semi-final against the West Indies, which propelled Australia into the final. However, in the final against Sri Lanka, Warne conceded 58 runs without taking a wicket as Australia lost to the first-time champions.

The West Indies toured Australia for a five-Test series during the 1996-97 southern summer, which Australia won 3-2. Warne took 22 wickets in the series. In the One Day International series, he recorded his only ODI five-wicket haul, taking 5/33 against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground, cleaning up their middle and lower batting order.

Warne took 11 wickets in Australia's three-Test tour of South Africa in early 1997, contributing to Australia's 2-1 victory. In the northern summer of 1997, he returned to England with the Australian team for the Ashes series. After an early struggle for form, he delivered his best series performance in the Third Test at Old Trafford, where he took nine wickets. In the Fifth Test at Trent Bridge, Warne claimed seven wickets, helping Australia clinch the Ashes. He finished the series with 24 wickets at an average of 24.04, second only to fast bowler Glenn McGrath, as Australia won the six-Test series 3-2.

During the Australian summer of 1997-98, Warne took 19 wickets in New Zealand's three-Test series in Australia and 20 wickets in three Tests against South Africa. In the second Test against South Africa, he took five wickets in the first innings and six in the second, becoming the second Australian after Dennis Lillee to reach 300 Test wickets. Around this time, despite media criticism regarding his weight, The Australian newspaper hailed him as one of Australia's three most-influential cricketers, alongside Donald Bradman and Lillee.

In early 1998, Warne was part of Australia's touring squad of India. Struggling with the local cuisine, he had tinned spaghetti and baked beans flown in from Australia. With Australia's top pace bowlers, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie, absent due to injury, Warne bowled more overs than usual. He took 10 wickets in the series but conceded an average of 54 runs per wicket, going for 0/147 in India's only innings of the second Test at Eden Gardens, Calcutta. Warne's dismissal of Rahul Dravid in the first innings of the final Test at Bangalore saw him surpass Lance Gibbs' tally of 309 wickets, establishing him as the most successful spin bowler in Test cricket. Australia lost the series, ending a remarkable run of nine consecutive Test series wins.

Warne did not play international cricket in the latter part of 1998 due to shoulder reconstruction surgery, missing Australia's tour of Pakistan and the first four Ashes Tests. During his extended absence, his understudy Stuart MacGill played in his place, taking 15 wickets in three Tests against Pakistan and a series-high 27 wickets against England. Warne returned to international cricket in the fifth Test of the Ashes series in Australia in January 1999. In this match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, he and MacGill bowled in tandem, with MacGill taking twelve wickets and Warne two.

In early December 1998, the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) disclosed that three years prior, Warne and Mark Waugh had been fined for accepting money from a bookmaker for information about pitch and weather conditions during a 1994 ODI tour of Sri Lanka, an incident known as the 'John the bookmaker' controversy.

The 1998-99 Ashes series marked the retirement of Australian captain Mark Taylor. Steve Waugh was appointed as his replacement, and Warne was promoted to vice-captain. In early 1999, Warne's form faltered during the first three Tests of the series against the West Indies, taking only two wickets, leading to calls from the Australian media for his removal from the team. His struggles, particularly after returning from a shoulder injury, contrasted with Stuart MacGill's superior performance in the series. For the final Test, Warne was replaced by off-spinner Colin Miller, who, along with MacGill, took eight wickets between them, helping Australia win the Test and retain the Frank Worrell Trophy. This selection decision displeased Warne and permanently strained his relationship with Waugh, though they continued to combine effectively for Australia throughout the remainder of their careers. Warne's form recovered in the One Day International series against the West Indies, where he took 13 wickets across seven matches.

Warne was selected for the 1999 World Cup in the United Kingdom. Just before the tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) fined Warne and imposed a two-match suspended ban for publicly criticizing Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga, stating, "There is plenty of animosity between Arjuna and myself. I don't like him and I'm not in a club of one." Australia aimed to win their first Cricket World Cup since 1987. Warne took 12 wickets in the group and Super Six phases. Before Australia batted against South Africa in the Super Six stage, Warne suggested to his team that after a catch, Herschelle Gibbs tended to throw the ball in celebration before gaining full control, and that batsmen should wait for the umpire's formal dismissal. Gibbs famously dropped Steve Waugh using this method when Waugh was on 56, and Waugh went on to score 120 not out, securing the win for Australia. Australia qualified for a semi-final against South Africa at Edgbaston. The semi-final ended in a dramatic tie, with Australia advancing to the final on a countback. Warne was named Man of the Match for dismissing key South African batsmen Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Hansie Cronje, and Jacques Kallis, finishing with figures of 4/29. Australia faced Pakistan in the tournament's final. Pakistan was all out for 132, with Warne taking 4/33 and earning another Man of the Match award. Australia comfortably chased the target to win the World Cup. Warne concluded the World Cup as the joint-top wicket-taker, alongside Geoff Allott, with 20 wickets.

Later in 1999, Warne was retained as Australia's vice-captain for their tour of Sri Lanka, where he took eight wickets across three Tests, though Australia lost the series 1-0. The Australians then toured Zimbabwe, where Warne took six wickets as Australia won the single Test.

The following Australian summer, Warne played in all Tests of the series against Pakistan and India. He achieved his highest Test batting score of 86 in the first Test against Pakistan in Brisbane. Warne's eight wickets in the Second Test at Hobart were overshadowed by the "Joe the Cameraman" controversy, where an off-field microphone picked up a jibe about Australian bowler Scott Muller, which was incorrectly attributed to Warne by some. Warne again scored 86 in the first Test against India in Adelaide the following month. He took 18 wickets over the six summer Tests, helping Australia complete a perfect Test summer by winning both series 3-0.

Warne took another 15 wickets in Australia's tour of New Zealand in March 2000, as he helped Australia secure a 3-0 series victory. In the first Test of the series at Eden Park, Auckland, Warne surpassed Dennis Lillee's 355 wickets, becoming Australia's all-time leading wicket-taker.

In 2000, Warne joined English county side Hampshire for the northern summer. During this season, reports emerged that Warne had repeatedly sent inappropriate SMS messages to an English nurse. In August 2000, the ACB removed him as Australia's vice-captain, citing his history of off-field indiscretions. This decision went against the wishes of the team's selectors, including captain Steve Waugh. Warne was replaced as vice-captain by Adam Gilchrist. Despite this setback, the ACB awarded Warne the Men's ODI Player of the Year at the Allan Border Medal ceremony that year.

2.5. Challenges and Comeback (2001-2003)

Warne missed the entire Australian summer of 2000-01 due to a finger injury, leading to a selection battle with Stuart MacGill and an in-form Colin Miller for Australia's tour of India in early 2001. MacGill was ultimately not included in the squad. Warne took 10 wickets over the three-Test series at an average of 50.50, significantly outperformed by his Indian spin counterpart Harbhajan Singh, who took 32 wickets at an average of 17.03. Australia lost the series 2-1.

During the English summer, Warne was selected for the 2001 Ashes and took 31 wickets at 18.70 in the five-Test series, which Australia won 4-1. He finished second to Glenn McGrath in the wicket-taking tally, with McGrath taking one more wicket. Warne recorded three five-wicket hauls in the series and collected eight wickets in both the First and Third Tests at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge respectively. In the final Test at The Oval, Warne took 11 wickets across both innings, including the dismissal of Alec Stewart for his 400th career Test wicket. Warne became the sixth player and the first Australian in cricket history to reach 400 Test wickets.

In the 2001-02 Australian summer, Australia played home series against New Zealand and against South Africa. Warne took six wickets in three Tests against New Zealand. In the third Test in Perth, he recorded his highest batting score in international cricket, being caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of Daniel Vettori when he was on 99 runs, one run short of a maiden Test century, in what was later revealed to be a no-ball. All three Tests against New Zealand ended in draws. He then took 17 wickets in the three Tests against South Africa, more than any other player in the series, including 5/113 in the first innings of the first Test. Warne was again the leading wicket-taker with 20 dismissals when Australia played a three-Test series in South Africa in February and March 2002. In February 2002, Ricky Ponting replaced Steve Waugh as captain of Australia's ODI squad. Ponting's promotion, being five years Warne's junior, seemed to end any realistic prospect of Warne ever being appointed to the Australian captaincy.

In October 2002, Australia played a three-Test series against Pakistan held in the neutral territories of Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. Warne took 27 wickets, being named Man of the Match in the First Test with 11 wickets and again in the Third Test with eight wickets. He was also selected as the Player of the Series.

He returned to Australia for the 2002-03 Ashes series against England, starting in November 2002. In the first Test, he scored 57 runs with the bat and took 14 wickets in the first three Tests of the series but suffered a shoulder injury in an ODI in December 2002. This injury ruled him out of the remainder of the Ashes series and cast doubt on his participation in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, which began in February 2003. Warne would not play another Test for Australia until March 2004.

In February 2003, a day before the start of the World Cup in Africa, Warne was sent home after a drug test during a one-day series in Australia returned a positive result for a banned diuretic. Warne stated he had taken only one "fluid tablet", which he identified as the prescription drug Moduretic, given to him by his mother to improve his appearance. A committee established by the ACB found Warne guilty of breaching the board's drug code and imposed a one-year ban from organized cricket.

Having previously announced his intention to retire from ODIs after the 2003 World Cup, Warne took the view that the ban would paradoxically lengthen his Test-playing career, although it did lead him to briefly reconsider his ODI retirement decision. Warne was controversially allowed to play in charity matches while serving his one-year ban, a decision criticized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which Warne, in turn, criticized for interfering. During his suspension, Australia's main free-to-air cricket broadcaster, Nine Network, hired Warne as a television commentator. In mid-2003, Warne also worked for the St Kilda Football Club, an Australian rules football club, in an unpaid consultancy role, as the Australian Football League had banned him from holding an official club position due to his drugs ban.

2.6. Record-Breaking Era (2004-2006)

Warne returned to competitive cricket after his ban in February 2004. In March, during the first Test of a three-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle, he became the second cricketer, after Courtney Walsh, to take 500 Test wickets. Warne took five wickets in each innings of the first and second Tests, and a further six wickets in the third Test, earning him the Player of the Series award.

In 2004, Sri Lanka toured Australia for a mid-year return series in Darwin and Cairns, where Warne took 10 wickets at 28 runs in the series.

On 15 October 2004, during the second Test of Australia's series against India at Chennai, he broke the record for most career wickets in Test cricket. Warne's dismissal of Irfan Pathan, caught at slip by Matthew Hayden, marked his 533rd wicket, surpassing his Sri Lankan rival Muttiah Muralidaran, who had taken the record from Courtney Walsh five months earlier. Australia won the series 2-1, marking their first series win in India since 1969. Warne's 14 wickets at an average of 30.07 demonstrated a significant improvement on his previous performances in India, where he had taken 20 wickets at an average of 52 runs in six Tests. For his exceptional performances in 2004, the ICC named him in the World Test XI.

Warne began the 2004-05 home summer impressively, taking 11 wickets at 23.27 against the touring New Zealanders as Australia won the two-Test series 2-0. He led the wicket-taking for both sides, ahead of Daniel Vettori. Pakistan then toured, and Warne collected 14 wickets at 28.71 as Australia completed a 3-0 sweep. Australia then embarked on a return tour of New Zealand, where they won the three-Test series 2-0, with Warne taking 17 wickets at an average of 22 runs per wicket.

The 2005 Ashes series began with Warne taking six wickets at Lord's, contributing to Australia's 239-run victory and a 1-0 lead over England. He then claimed 10 wickets in the Second Test at Edgbaston, including six in the second innings. Warne also contributed 42 runs in the second innings, but Australia were defeated by just two runs in a dramatic match. In his second innings, Warne delivered one of his most famously sharp spinning deliveries to Andrew Strauss, which turned approximately 24 in ^{(60 cm)} outside Strauss' off stump to bowl the left-hander's middle and leg stumps. On 11 August 2005, in the Third Ashes Test at Old Trafford, Warne became the first bowler in history to take 600 Test wickets. In the same Test, he made 90 runs in the first innings, helping Australia avoid the follow-on and ultimately draw the match. Warne again contributed with both bat and ball in the Fourth Test at Trent Bridge, taking eight wickets and scoring 45 runs in Australia's second innings at a faster than a run per ball rate. His efforts in Nottingham nearly secured a memorable victory for Australia after following on, but England won by three wickets to take a series lead for the first time. In the Fifth and Final Test at The Oval, Warne took six wickets in each innings for a total of 12 for the match. However, Warne also dropped a straightforward slips chance off Kevin Pietersen when the English batsman was on 15, with Pietersen going on to score 158 and England holding on to draw the match and win the series for the first time since the 1986-87 season. Warne's fierce competitiveness was a defining feature of the 2005 Ashes series, where he took 40 wickets at an average of 19.92 and scored 249 runs. He shared the Ashes Player of the Series honors with England's Andrew Flintoff.

During the 2005-06 Australian home summer, Warne bowled impressively against the touring World XI, West Indies, and South African teams. In the only Test against the World XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Warne took six wickets across both innings, though he was out-bowled by Stuart MacGill, who claimed nine. Australia won the Test by 210 runs. Against the West Indies, Warne collected 16 wickets across three Tests, with his best innings performance of 6/80 at the Adelaide Oval, as the selectors paired him again with fellow leg spinner, MacGill. Warne also performed strongly against the touring South Africans, leading the Australian wicket-takers with 14 wickets at an average of 33.00. For his performances in 2005, the ICC named Warne in the World Test Team of the Year XI. In 2005, with 96 wickets, Warne broke the record for the number of wickets taken in a calendar year.

2.7. International Retirement (2006-2007)

Warne toured South Africa with the Australian team for a three-Test series in March-April 2006, taking 15 wickets. He recorded his series-best figures of 6/86 in Durban, helping Australia to a 112-run victory and earning Man of the Match honors. Following this, he joined the Australian team for a two-Test series against Bangladesh, taking 11 wickets, again paired with Stuart MacGill on spin-friendly pitches.

Warne began the 2006-07 Ashes series with an indifferent Test performance in Brisbane and a poor performance in the first innings in Adelaide, where he took no wickets. However, his second-innings performance in Adelaide, including bowling Kevin Pietersen around the legs, sparked England's fifth-day collapse and led to Australia's victory. Warne again bowled well in the third Test's second innings and took the final wicket of Monty Panesar as Australia emphatically regained the Ashes.

On 21 December 2006, Warne announced his decision to retire at the end of the 2006-07 Ashes series, concluding his international career at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In his penultimate Test, on 26 December 2006, he took his 700th Test wicket by bowling English batsman Andrew Strauss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in his final appearance there. This milestone marked the first time any player had taken 700 Test wickets. The dismissal was described as a "classic Warne dismissal," which garnered a standing ovation from the crowd of 89,155. Warne finished that Boxing Day match with 5/39, his final Test five-wicket haul.

Warne's final Test was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the same venue as his debut 15 years earlier. He ended England's first innings by trapping Monty Panesar leg before wicket for a duck, thereby taking his 1,000th international wicket. Warne also scored 71 runs in his final innings. His final Test wicket was that of England's all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who was stumped by Adam Gilchrist. Warne is one of only two bowlers, along with Muttiah Muralidaran, to have taken more than 1,000 wickets in international cricket. For his performances in 2006, the ICC and ESPNcricinfo named Warne in the World Test XI. Cricket Australia also awarded Warne the 2006 Men's Test Player of the Year at the Allan Border Medal ceremony.

2.8. Twenty20 Career and Final Retirement (2008-2013)

After his retirement from international cricket, Warne ventured into the burgeoning world of Twenty20 cricket. In 2008, he was signed as the captain of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), fetching 450.00 K USD in the pre-season player auction. Warne famously led the Royals to victory in the inaugural season of the competition, against expectations. He continued as captain of the Royals for four more seasons, with the 2011 season being his last with the franchise. In February 2018, the Rajasthan Royals appointed Warne as their team mentor for the IPL 2018 season.

Warne was also signed as a player for Melbourne Stars in Australia's inaugural Big Bash League (BBL) in November 2011. The Stars qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament, where Warne took seven wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 6.74 runs conceded per over.

In 2013, Warne faced disciplinary action, being fined 4.50 K USD and banned for one match for using obscene language, making "inappropriate physical contact with a player or official" (Marlon Samuels), and "showing serious dissent at an umpire's decision" during a BBL match against Melbourne Renegades. In July 2013, Warne officially retired from all formats of cricket, confirming he would no longer captain the Melbourne Stars in the BBL.

In July 2014, Warne captained the Rest of the World side in the Bicentenary Celebration match at Lord's.

4.1. Test matches

4.2. Career-best performances

5.1. Family and Relationships

From 1999 to 2005, Warne was married to Simone Callahan, with whom he had three children: Summer, Jackson, and Brooke. In 2000, while still married to Callahan, Warne lost the Australian vice-captaincy after it was discovered he had sent sexually explicit text messages to a British nurse. An additional incident involved an altercation with teenage boys who photographed him smoking, despite his public endorsement for a nicotine patch company which he had agreed to as part of a deal to quit smoking.

In April 2007, there were reports of Warne and Callahan reuniting, two years after their divorce. However, five months later, Callahan again left Warne after he inadvertently sent her a text message intended for another woman. Following his split from Callahan, Warne dated English actress Elizabeth Hurley. Their relationship initially appeared short-lived after it was disclosed that Warne had sent explicit messages to a married Melbourne businesswoman. However, the couple later created a media frenzy when Hurley moved into Warne's mansion in Brighton, Victoria. In late 2011, Hurley and Warne announced their engagement, but they had cancelled it by December 2013. Warne later reflected on the relationship, stating, "I was more in love with Elizabeth than I'd realised I could be. I miss the love we had. My years with Elizabeth were the happiest of my life."

Warne was born with complete heterochromia, a condition that resulted in him having a blue right eye and a green left eye. In August 2021, Warne contracted COVID-19 and was placed on a ventilator "to make sure there were no longer-lasting effects." He described his experience, saying, "I had a thumping headache and I had one day where I had the shivers, but sweating, like when you have the flu," and expressed his belief that Australians would have to learn to live with the virus.

5.2. Off-field Controversies

Throughout his career, Shane Warne was frequently embroiled in off-field controversies that attracted significant media attention and impacted his public image. In 2000, he was stripped of the Australian vice-captaincy following revelations that he had sent lewd text messages to a British nurse while married. Another incident involved an altercation with a group of teenage boys who photographed him smoking, which was particularly damaging as Warne had previously accepted sponsorship from a nicotine patch company in exchange for quitting smoking.

The most significant controversy occurred in February 2003 when Warne was sent home from the 2003 Cricket World Cup in Africa, a day before the tournament's start, after a drug test during a one-day series in Australia returned a positive result for a banned diuretic. Warne claimed he had taken only one "fluid tablet," the prescription drug Moduretic, which his mother had given him to improve his appearance. Despite his explanation, a committee established by the Australian Cricket Board found him guilty of breaching the board's drug code and imposed a one-year ban from all organized cricket. This decision was criticized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) when Warne was allowed to play in charity matches during his ban, a move Warne, in turn, publicly criticized WADA for.

Earlier in his career, in December 1998, it was revealed that Warne and teammate Mark Waugh had been fined by the Australian Cricket Board three years prior for accepting money from a bookmaker for information about pitch and weather conditions during a 1994 ODI tour of Sri Lanka, an event widely known as the 'John the bookmaker' controversy.

5.3. Post-retirement Activities and Philanthropy

After retiring from professional cricket, Shane Warne transitioned into a prominent role as a television cricket commentator. He initially worked for Australia's Nine Network but his contract, reportedly worth 300.00 K AUD annually, was not renewed in 2005 due to incidents in his private life. However, he rejoined Nine in 2008 and remained a member of its commentary team until the network lost its broadcasting rights in 2018. Warne also signed with Sky Sports in 2009 and Fox Cricket in 2018, working for both until his death.

Warne was actively involved in philanthropy, notably through the Shane Warne Foundation, which he launched in 2004 to assist seriously ill and underprivileged children. The charity distributed around 400.00 K GBP and organized various activities, including charity poker tournaments. However, the foundation closed in 2017 after experiencing financial losses in four of the previous five years; for instance, in 2014, it raised 465.00 K AUD but spent 550.00 K AUD.

Warne also joined Muttiah Muralidaran in humanitarian efforts to aid Sri Lankans affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. His foundation donated 20.00 K AUD to help rebuild Galle International Stadium. Warne was also named in the World XI squad for the World Cricket Tsunami Appeal tournament, held in Melbourne on 10 January 2005, to raise funds for post-tsunami humanitarian relief.

Beyond cricket and charity, Warne engaged in other commercial ventures. In January 2008, he signed a two-year agreement with 888poker to represent them at international poker events, including the Aussie Millions, World Series of Poker, and the 888 UK Poker Open. This sponsorship ended in January 2015. In 2010, the Nine Network commissioned a chat show titled Warnie, which Warne hosted. The program debuted on 24 November 2010, with Warne interviewing prominent figures such as James Packer, Ricky Ponting, Chris Martin (of Coldplay), and Susan Boyle. Warne also conducted promotional work for Advanced Hair, a hair-loss recovery company, a matter which the British Advertising Standards Authority investigated due to concerns regarding illegal celebrity endorsement of medical services.

Away from cricket, Warne was a passionate amateur golfer. In 2018, he achieved a hole in one on the 16th hole at Augusta National Golf Club. He also notably placed second in the pro-am section of the 2021 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

6.1. Circumstances of Death

Shane Warne died suddenly on 4 March 2022, at the age of 52, while on holiday on the island of Ko Samui, Thailand. The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack brought on by atherosclerosis. Coincidentally, Warne died on the same day as fellow Australian cricketer Rod Marsh, to whom Warne had paid tribute on Twitter just hours before his own death. Six days after his passing, Warne's body was returned from Thailand to Melbourne on a private aeroplane.

6.2. Tributes and Public Mourning

The news of Warne's death triggered an immediate flood of tributes from across the cricketing world and beyond. Australian teammates and figures like Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie, Matthew Hayden, Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Glenn McGrath, Tom Moody, Ricky Ponting, and Shane Watson, as well as current Australian Test captain Pat Cummins and Australian limited-overs captain Aaron Finch, all expressed their grief and admiration. Pat Cummins remarked, "We grew up idolising him, had his posters on the wall..."

International cricketers also paid their respects, including England's Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan; India's Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli; New Zealand's Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson; Pakistan's Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis; South Africa's Graeme Smith; and West Indies' Brian Lara. Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle also offered a tribute.

To commemorate Warne, the Australian women's cricket team wore black armbands and observed a minute of silence in their first 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup game against England. A similar tribute was held by the Australian men's cricket team on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan.

Celebrities from various fields also paid tribute, including Warne's close friend Chris Martin of Coldplay, Russell Crowe, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Hugh Jackman, and Magda Szubanski. Warne's former fiancée, Elizabeth Hurley, expressed her sorrow, stating: "I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved lionheart." In a spontaneous public display of mourning, fans adorned the statue of Warne outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground with flowers, beer, baked beans, and cigarettes.

Warne's former Big Bash League team, the Melbourne Stars, honored him during their game against the Hobart Hurricanes. All Stars players wore Warne's number 23, and a standing ovation took place after the 23rd ball of the game. The Melbourne Stars subsequently retired the number 23 jersey in his honor.

6.3. Official Memorials and Posthumous Recognition

Warne's private funeral was held on 20 March 2022, in Melbourne at Moorabbin Oval, the headquarters and former home ground of the St Kilda Football Club. The service was attended by Warne's parents, his three children, and several former teammates.

On 30 March, Warne was publicly honored at a state memorial event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This event was free to attend and drew approximately 55,000 people, while being broadcast on multiple channels and streamed online. The service, which ran for about 140 minutes, was watched by over 1.5 million Australians and cost 1.60 M AUD, nearly triple the cost of the second-most-expensive memorial service in 2022.

The memorial began with Greta Bradman, Donald Bradman's granddaughter, performing the national anthem "Advance Australia Fair". The service featured eulogies from Warne's children, his father, his brother Jason, and other family members and friends. During his eulogy, Warne's father famously quoted Shane as saying of himself, "'I smoked, I drank, and I played a little cricket'". As a lasting tribute, it was decided that the Great Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground would be renamed in Warne's honor. To conclude the memorial, Warne's children unveiled the "Shane Warne Stand" sign while a recording of Frank Sinatra singing "My Way" played, prompting a standing ovation from the crowd.

In June 2022, on the Queen's Birthday Honours list, Warne was posthumously appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for his service to cricket and philanthropic contributions. In December 2022, Warne was elevated to a Legend in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, further solidifying his place among Australia's sporting greats.