I don’t know if it’s nostalgia, but Warne’s era just felt like a better time to be watching cricket in general, for quality as well as entertainment. I don’t think the modern day “greats” can hold a candle to Warne, Dravid, Tendulkar, Sangakkara, McGrath, Kumble, Murali, Lara, Ponting, Steyn, Gilchrist, Kallis, Jayawardene, Akhtar, Chanderpaul, Bond (on the few occasions he was fit).
I turn a match on now and there’s nobody I want to watch, really. I hated the Aussies of that era, but Warne and McGrath were as good at playing a crowd as they were at taking wickets. Very sad to see Warnie go prematurely, although maybe not a huge surprise given his lifestyle.