Widely considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time, Warne’s 15-year international career saw him take 708 Test wickets, surpassed only by fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

He was also arguably the best player in Australia’s all-conquering side of the 1990s and early 2000s, winning multiple Ashes series and the 1999 World Cup.

Warne had been ill with coronavirus in August last year, after testing positive for the disease following his stint as coach of The Hundred franchise the London Spirit.

Revealing he had been put on “a special ventilator” to prevent him developing long Covid, he told The Herald Sun: “It wasn’t because I could not breathe, or anything like that. It was basically a special ventilator that I was trialling to make sure there were no longer-lasting effects that Covid would have on me.

“I have been fine, I have been able to run, I have been able to do everything. I have been absolutely fine.”

Describing his symptoms, he added: “It was a bit like a hangover, I had a pounding headache. The first couple of days, when I tested positive, I just had a thumping headache and I had one day where I had the shivers, but sweating, like when you have the flu.