Shane Warne’s genius as a bowler as well as his role in breathing new life into the dying art of leg-spin bowling was dissected endlessly during his career and life. But what did other spinners make of the man who revolutionised their craft and repurposed it for a new era? In extracts from the new anthology Warne in Wisden, spin bowlers of all types and from different eras discuss the qualities that made Warne great.

Robin Hobbs, Essex and England

So how does he do it? Warne has a very economical run-up and a classic side-on delivery: bad balls are a rarity. Highly frugal, he can and does bowl for hours on end – his new captain Mark Taylor has said it is most difficult to take the ball from him. He never seems to tire, wheeling away over after over, often bowling around the wicket into the rough outside leg stump. Some call this negative bowling: I would disagree, as so few present-day batsmen have the technique to cope with this form of attack. For many, the only shot they have to offer is the infernal sweep, which is very dangerous against the turning ball. Wisden Cricket Monthly, January 1995

Ashley Mallett, Australia

Warne keeps his method simple – walk-up start, eyes focused, wrist cocked and an enormous surge of power through the crease. Until he came along, many feared wrist-spin was a lost art, gone the way of the dinosaurs, who vanished years ago when Planet Earth failed to duck a cosmic bumper.

Then came Warne. He bowled the leg-break with over-spin, the flipper and the top-spinner; he did not need to bowl the wrong ’un too often. Instead of the googly against the left-hander beating the bat by a fair margin, his top-spinner took the edge. Smart. Above all, he was accurate. During the bleak years for spin, the idea was that finger-spinners were more accurate and could be trusted. Turn to history and you will find that many of the most accurate bowlers of all time were leg-spinners: Grimmett, Wright, O’Reilly, Barnes, Gupte, Benaud, Kumble, Warne.

The wrist-spinner can sometimes get away with a shortish delivery, anyway, because of the work he achieves on the ball, given that he is using a combination of fingers, wrist and arm. The ball bounces high and often tucks the batsman up. The delivery might cost him one run whereas an orthodox spinner’s short one would not usually have steepling bounce and would get the full treatment. Wisden, 1997

Richie Benaud, Australia

It is a popular theory that the back-cracking, hip wrenching, knee-twisting golf swing is one of the most awkward movements performed by sports players. Yet Peter Thomson, in his memorable Rusack’s Hotel interview with Henry Longhurst at St Andrews, managed to simplify it to three elements: put the club head in the correct position behind the ball, take the club head away and then hit the ball on the forward swing with the club face back in its original position. “Keep it simple” was his dictum.

Over-the-wrist spinning is a little like that; you must keep it simple, as Warne does, and has done, on his way to becoming the greatest leg-spinner of his kind I have ever seen. O’Reilly and Grimmett, the other two great Australian spin bowlers, were different from each other and certainly different from Warne.

That they didn’t take as many wickets as Warne was because, in those days, Australia didn’t play as many Tests; but it is noteworthy that when all three of them had played 27 Tests, covering the period of O’Reilly’s Test career, the figures were Grimmett 147, O’Reilly 144 and Warne 124. Grimmett’s figures of 216 wickets at the end of his career is the most ever taken at that point of any bowler’s career, fast or slow, so Warne is in very good company. Wisden Australia, 2000-01

Shane Warne bowling for Australia against England in the Ashes in 2007. Photograph: Getty Images Terry Jenner, Australia

Warne is something else. His ability to spin his leg-break exceptional distances while landing the ball consistently in the batsman’s danger area has changed the whole perception and expectation of wrist-spinners.

Warne also gets my nod for his courage and longevity, combined with his willingness to work hard in the nets. Two operations on his spinning finger, a major one on his bowling shoulder and surgery on his left knee are testimony to his bravery. That he is able to compete at all is amazing; the fact that he is still taking quality wickets is even more incredible. Wisden Cricket Monthly, November 2001

Anil Kumble, India

Warne is probably the best spinner I have seen. It’s amazing what he can do with a cricket ball and I’ve always enjoyed watching him bowl. When we do get to meet, we share a few thoughts about each other’s bowling. Wisden Asia Cricket, March 2002

Rex Sellers, Australia

The first thing that comes to mind with Warne is his resilience, his adaptability in all facets, in any hemisphere. Then there is his uncomplicated run-up and delivery stride, and his ability to be a shock or stock bowler, which is a testimony to his stamina. And he has that coil-like wrist; he was born for greatness with that first ball he bowled in the UK to Mike Gatting. Wisden Australia 2004-05

Shane Warne at Old Trafford in 2005. Photograph: Hamish Blair/Getty Images John Gleeson, Australia

The main thing is his control. Fellows who have been big spinners of the ball – Johnny Martin and David Sincock and Stuart MacGill – their control is not within a bull’s roar of this bloke’s. The ball can do only three things: it either goes straight or spins from the leg or goes from the off. It can’t do anything else. It doesn’t disappear or explode. So I think the main thing that sticks to Warne is his control and knowledge of the game. He showed that when he had the captaincy a couple of times.

I didn’t see Bill O’Reilly and apparently he was pretty handy, but this fella has got to be the best leggie since the war, at least. Normally people with Warne’s control have to give something up, usually the amount or the variety of spin. But this bloke’s got everything – variety and control – although I think a bit of baloney goes on about the eight different balls he says he can bowl. As I said, basically you do three things, so there’s a certain amount of bluff there. Wisden Australia 2004-05

Jim Higgs, Australia

I first came in contact with him when he was at St Kilda and Jack Edwards, the club president, asked me to have a few sessions with him. It was obvious that he was going to have a huge impact on the game, although not everyone could see it. He was struggling to get a start with Victoria in the early 1990s. I was on the national selection committee at the time and had to wonder why.

He could do most things with the ball. He developed a few things later on, like the flipper and using the subtleties of back-spin and square-spin to create different flight paths. But the thing that stood out was that he was so strong. Without that, a spinner will struggle. Shane had that – and obviously a bit more. Wisden Australia 2004-05

Warne in Wisden book Bob Holland, Australia

What impresses me most is his ability to read a batsman. When he screws his face up after a delivery, as if to say “that nearly got through”, I can see what he’s thinking. He sums up a batsman in about three balls. He realises that this guy isn’t so good off the back foot or doesn’t like to use his feet. Then he hones in. The difference between him and others is that he bowls exactly the right delivery in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Wisden Australia 2004-05

This is an extract from new book Warne in Wisden: An Anthology, edited by Richard Whitehead.