Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday said Australians were “bewildered” by a “sad and sudden loss” of Shane Warne, and announced the cricketing hero would receive a state funeral.

“He was one of our nation's greatest characters,” Morrison said, marking the 52-year-old's death.

Praising him as inspiration to backyard cricketers across the country, Morrison described a larger-than-life character who lit up each Australian summer.

“His humour, his passion, his irreverence, his approachability ensured he was loved by all.”

In recognition of Warne's “national achievements, his family will be offered a state funeral”, Morrison said in a statement.

“This will be done in consultation with the Warne family,” he said, promising to “ensure we honour Shane's passing and memory.”

Morrison — who recently tested positive for Covid-19 and is in isolation — compared Warne to all-time great and fellow Australian Don Bradman.

“There was none like Shane,” Morrison said. “He lived his life his way. He had his great achievements, but also his regrets. He carried them all the same way. With a cheeky smile & a zest for life.”

“There was something magical that he brought to our summers. The bleached blonde hair, the almost casual way he moved to send down a delivery, and his engagement with the crowd. He was one of a kind.

“He inspired so many girls and boys to try their hand at cricket. He made it all look so easy. At some point, in most Australian backyards, we all tried to deliver a flipper.

“Our love and condolences go to Shane's family and particularly his children Brooke, Jackson, and Summer.”

Warne's death dominated local media on Saturday, pushing news of devastating floods on the east coast of Australia and the war in Ukraine off the top of news bulletins and websites.

On social media, tributes from fellow players were joined by celebrity fans such as rock stars Mick Jagger, Elton John and Ed Sheeran.

Martin Pakula, sports minister of Warne's home state Victoria, said the Great Southern Stand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where the spinner took his 700th wicket on Boxing Day 2006, would be renamed the SK Warne Stand. The new moniker references the cricketer's first and middle name, Keith.

“Shane Warne's the greatest cricketer we've ever had and (this is) the stand where his fans saluted him for all those years,” he told reporters beside a statue of Warne outside the ground.

A sombre stream of people laid flowers, cricket balls and beer bottles at the foot of the statue showing Warne in full flight as a bowler.

“I came to pay my respects for a guy who just loved sport, who loved all sports, football, cricket,” said professional Australian rules football player Tom Mitchell, 28, as he left a football.

David Latta, 64, a local resident who attended many of Warne's matches at the MCG said “everybody wanted to be this guy. Everybody.”

Death 'not suspicious'

Thai Police said one of three friends staying with Warne in a private villa went to check on the former cricketer when he did not turn up for dinner on Friday.

“The friend did CPR on him and called an ambulance,” Chatchawin Nakmusik, a Bo Put police officer, told Reuters by phone.

“An emergency response unit then arrived and did another CPR for 10-20 minutes. Then an ambulance from the Thai International Hospital arrived and took him there. They did CPR for five minutes, and then he died.”

Police did not know the cause of death but were not treating it as suspicious, Chatchawin added.

Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne said officials would travel to Koh Samui on Saturday to offer assistance to Thai authorities and arrange the repatriation of the cricketer's body.

Warne's last tweet was a tribute to another former Australian cricket great, wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, who died earlier on Friday at the age of 74.

Credited with reviving the art of leg spin, Warne made his test debut in 1992 against India, kicking off a 15-year international career.

Warne was rated as one of the five greatest players of the 20th century by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack but his hard living often made tabloid headlines as well.

The wily spinner frequently courted controversy and served a 12-month suspension after testing positive for banned diuretics in 2003.

“Of course he was controversial, but also put cricket on the map for a lot of people,” Sydney resident Eddie Piazza told Reuters.

“So he did a couple of crazy things, but what a legend and we should remember him for the good things.”